Hot for Teacher
by craigtuckeradvocate
Summary: "Wait a second man, whaddaya think the teacher's gonna look like this year?" - It was never Tweek Tweak's intentions to fall asleep during work that day. It was never his intentions to fall head over heels for the guy that walked through the shop door and woke him up. It was never his intentions to fall head over heels for the guy that so happened to be his fucking professor.
1. Lesson 1: An Introduction

_In order to show you how a big symphony orchestra is put together, Benjamin Britten has written a big piece of music which is made up of smaller pieces that show you all the separate parts of the orchestra. These smaller pieces are called variations, which means different ways of playing the same tune. First of all he lets us hear the tune, or theme, which is a beautiful melody by the much older British composer, Henry Purcell. Here is Purcell's theme played by the whole orchestra together._

It wasn't how Tweek wanted to spend his time at work. It was the first day of fall semester, for crying out loud! The orchestral piece filled his ears as he leaned his cheek against the palm of his hand, staring at the empty shop in front of him. Tweek Tweak was a junior business major at the University of Colorado-Boulder, and here he was, still a barista, at the lamest coffee shop on campus. He didn't mind it, really. Less people coming in meant more time for him to do his homework, which is _exactly_ what he was doing. His first day back in classes wasn't bad, per say, just a long day. He had two major classes, sales and marketing, and a gen ed class. Of course, only the god damn gen ed class gave him homework. It was a music class that focused primarily on classical music and the break-down of each piece. It wasn't _awful_ , but Tweek was already exhausted as is, and the music was just lulling him to sleep. Groaning, he dropped his forehead down onto the counter with a thud, the brass section playing their tune into his ears. It wasn't like Tweek to be so bored at work. He usually found some way to distract himself in a way that benefited his time. Sure, he was doing homework, but was it _worth_ it? His homework was lulling him to sleep, the string section calming his uneasiness. Letting his eyes drop shut, Tweek leaned his cheek on his forearm, music spilling out from his headphones.

The little bell above the shop door chimed happily at the fact someone was actually walking into the shop. Tweek, however, was completely oblivious to it. The man's lips twitched at the sight. He imagines it must get lonely in this shop. After all, it's known for being the worst coffee shop on campus. Why someone would voluntarily work here, he wasn't sure, but money was money, and he wouldn't deny that. The only reason why he was here was because the other typical spots he gets his afternoon coffee at were packed with the frenzy of students already cramming material into their heads. He hates to wake the kid, but he needs his coffee. As he approached the counter, he could hear the classical music coming from the kid's headphones. _No wonder he's asleep_. Reaching out, he gently shook the shoulder of the blonde, jumping back as he jolted awake.

" _Shit!"_ The blonde tumbled backwards, shoving his headphones off his head and just catching himself on the counter before falling onto his ass. The sweeping orchestra was clear as day as Tweek looked up at the man suppressing a laugh in front of the counter, his face flushed with embarrassment as he stood. "Fuck-I mean-sorry! I-it's been a long day." Tweek quickly grabbed his headphones off the floor and pressed the pause button on the side of them, the shop plummeting into silence. Tweek suddenly became very aware of the man in front of him. He was tall. Taller than Tweek, and Tweek was six two. Tan skin. Well dressed. Black hair. Sunglasses still sat on his face, but a smile tugged at his lips.

"Tell me about it." _Oh_. Okay, so he had a deep voice. That's okay. This is okay. Tweek just happened to make a fool of himself in front of a cute customer. _It wouldn't be the first time_. Shaking his head, Tweek ran his hands over the front of his apron, smoothing it out and wiping off his sweating palms in the process.

"What can I get you today?" He asked, face still flushed red. The man in front of him pushed his sunglasses on top of his head, and Tweek had to stop himself from staring. He wonders if the man wore his sunglasses all the time, because his eyes were _really distracting_. It wasn't just the fact they were pretty, but his right eye was blue, and his left eye was brown. The blue reminded Tweek of pictures of the ocean you see on those travel blogs, a deep, yet bright blue that reflects light in just the right way. The brown wasn't a deep brown, but it was bright as well. It reminded Tweek of fossilized amber. Tweek saw the man's mouth move, but he flushed red with embarrassment again. "S-Sorry, I didn't-I didn't catch that." He admitted, the man smirking a bit.

"It's the eyes, isn't it?" Tweek blinked, mouth falling open.

"I-what?"

"It's okay," He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I've gotten it all my life. It's called heterochromia. Nothing is wrong, just…I have two different colored eyes." Tweek nodded, still embarrassed about everything that was just going _wrong_.

"They're just…colors I didn't know eyes could be." He admitted, the man actually smiling this time. _Oh, god, he has a nice smile, too._ Tweek swallowed hard as the man laughed softly. _Thank god you have to ask for his name_. Tweek hummed to himself as he realized he'd soon know this mysterious man's name.

"Why do you say that, might I ask?"

"Well, for starters, the blue is deep, but still bright. It reminds me of oceans you see on travel blogs, ya know? And-and the brown isn't dark and deep, it's brighter and reminds me of amber you find deep in the ground. But-but it's cool because it still has dark spots in it. It's…sorry, god, I'm rambling! I-I hope I didn't overstep." For the third time in ten minutes, Tweek felt his face get hot in embarrassment, but the man's lips just twitched a bit as he let out a huff of breath.

"Haven't…I haven't heard that one before." He chuckled, looking at Tweek. The blonde hummed a bit, pressing his lips together to stop from screaming. _God_ , he was so embarrassing! Shaking his head, he grabbed his marker off the counter.

"Now…once more, what can I get you today?"

"Blonde roast…with a splash of cream…large." The man clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he finished, Tweek's heart ramming against his rib cage. He scribbled the letters indicating what he wanted along the side where the little boxes sat, eyes darting up to look at him.

"And your name?" The man hummed a bit.

"The shop's empty and you still need my name?" Tweek froze for a moment, trying _not_ to let his face turn beet red for the fourth time. He quickly thought of an excuse as to why he needed to know his name.

"Shop policy, sorry." He lied, shooting him an apologetic smile. The man let out a laugh, rummaging through his messenger bag for his wallet.

"Craig." Tweek felt his heart jump to his throat as he carefully watched his marker write out each stroke of his name. _Craig_. He's never met a Craig before, and of course, his first encounter with one happens to be him nearly falling on his ass. Tweek hummed, Craig sliding over a five dollar bill. Tweek set the cup aside and quickly gave him his change.

"Thanks! I'll be just a second." He squeaked out, turning on his heel after grabbing the cup. Walking to the coffee he made an hour ago, he lifted the tab to let the dark liquid run into the cup. He made sure to leave enough room for the cream, dropping a one Mississippi count of cream into the liquid. Grabbing a lid and snapping it on, Tweek slid a sleeve on it before sliding it across the counter to Craig, the taller man smirking.

"Thanks." He murmured, picking it up after a nod of his head. Tweek felt his heart sink as he saw him turn towards the door, but was surprised to see he sat at a table by the window, tugging his laptop out of his messenger bag. _Huh…guess he's a student, too_. Tweek thought, slowly putting his headphones back on his head and looking down at his notebook. Where his notes were about the piece laid a few drops of drool from his little power nap, his cheeks turning pink as he wiped the page. Pressing play on the side of his headphones, Tweek stared at his notebook as he scribbled notes into it. He never noticed Craig occasionally glancing up at him as he heard the music, a smile forming on his face after a while. The way the blonde tugged gently at his curls as he mumbled to himself, often restarting the piece in order to write more notes about it, and wrote as fast as he could was all so…charming. As he downed the last of his coffee about twenty minutes later, he decided it was time to head out after he sent the email he was typing. Craig tucked his laptop back into his messenger bag before standing, tossing the cup into the trash can. Before he headed towards the door, he rummaged through his bag as he walked towards the counter top, tapping his carton of cigarettes lightly against the counter. Tweek jumped up, tugging the headphones down around his neck.

"You-is everything okay?" Craig took a moment before speaking.

"What did you do to that coffee to make it taste so good?"

"I…what?" Tweek was slightly flustered as he stood upright, brows furrowed.

"I'm sure you know this place's reputation," Tweek snorted, nodding. "But…that was the best damn cup of coffee I've had in a _long_ time…so what did you do?" Tweek actually smiled, a feeling of pride bubbling up in his chest.

"I just…make sure the beans are properly stored and then I put them through the grinder twice to make sure it's properly ground up. Then, I make sure my boss didn't put the cheap filters in the brewers, because if you have a bad filter, you'll have bad coffee! And…that's about it."

"You know a lot about coffee, don'tcha kid?"

"My parents own a coffee shop." Craig snorted, dropping his sunglasses down onto his head and tucking a cigarette between his lips.

"I'll be seeing ya, kid." He said around his cigarette, Tweek's ears ringing as he watched him leave. Tweek couldn't stop staring, admiring the way his face looked as he lit up his cigarette and inhaled once outside. _God_ , this was it. The perfect man. Well, at least for Tweek. And there he went, out the door, and off to God knows where.

* * *

Tweek was thankful to see his bedroom that night. The apartment was relatively quiet, Tweek assuming some of his roommates were at the library doing homework. He knocked lightly on all their bedroom doors after changing into his pajamas, but only got a response on the last door.

"Come in!" Tweek smiled, pressing his shoulder into the door as he twisted the knob and opened it.

"How was your first day?" He asked, Wendy Testaburger twisting around in her desk chair to face him as he plopped onto her bed.

"Long. Mondays are my longest day, unfortunately. I have class from noon to eight." Tweek hummed, tucking her pillow under his chin.

"At least you can sleep in." She hummed.

"This is true," She chuckled, turning back to finish the sentence she was typing on her laptop. "How was work? Finally back on your grind?" Tweek felt his cheeks heat up at the mention of work, images of that mysterious character filling his mind.

"It was…good. Someone actually came in before five." Wendy looked at him, eyebrow raised.

"Were they okay?"

" _He_ was fine… _god_ , so fine." Wendy's typing ceased, a grin crawling across her face as she turned around in her chair once more.

"A cute boy came in?!"

"Wendy, he was _gorgeous_! He-he was _exactly_ my type and I fucking _embarrassed_ myself like no tomorrow!" He groaned, running his hands down his face. Wendy's face scrunched up, sucking a breath in between her teeth.

"How bad was it?"

"For starters, I was doing my music gen ed homework, which requires me to listen to classical music that makes me want to fall asleep, and that's what I did! I fucking _fell asleep_ at the counter! He had to shake me awake and he scared the _shit_ out of me, so I almost fell flat on my ass!" Wendy winced.

"God, that's pretty bad."

"Don't fucking remind me," He mumbled, rolling onto his back to look at the posters on her wall. They were mainly of old 80's movies she loved. _Breakfast Club. Sixteen Candles. Ferris Bueller's Day Off_. "Then, I got _distracted_ by his eyes!"

"That's so _clichéd_ , Tweek." Wendy laughed.

"Wendy, he has _heterochromia_ ," He pointed to his right eye. "Blue," Then his left. "Brown."

"Oh…oh _god_ , that's beautiful." She breathed out, eyes widening slightly.

"He was _taller than me_ , tan, black hair, a _real_ nice smile, and he was _well-dressed_!"

"Oh, honey, you really let one go!" She gasped, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Well…that's the thing," Tweek ran his tongue over his lips as he smiled. "He liked my coffee. He said it was the best cup of coffee he's had in a long time…and that he's _coming back_." Wendy gasped, grabbing her pillow and beating Tweek with it.

" _Shut! Up!_ He was totally flirting with you!"

"What?! Wendy, I don't even know if this guy is gay!" He laughed, grabbing the pillow out of her hands.

"Well, we need to find out! I'm tired of seeing you hook up with randos!"

"You don't think _I'm_ tired of it?" He snorted, moving over as Wendy plopped onto the bed next to him.

"I know you are! Maybe this guy is-is new to campus or something! That's why we haven't seen him before?"

"I don't…I don't know. Something about him seemed… _mature_." He murmured, a grin crawling across his face. Wendy's face lit up.

"Sugar daddy! Maybe he's rich!" Tweek howled with laughter, Wendy following suit as she fell into her own fit of laughter. A knock came from the door, two heads poking in. Tweek grinned as their other two roommates, Kyle Broflovski and Stan Marsh, held a box of pizza out.

"We picked up food." Stan said, face beaming with pride.

"Where were you two?" Wendy asked, Tweek and her following them out to their little living space. The apartment wasn't much. They all had their own bedrooms, and two bathrooms for them to share. Tweek and Wendy shared one, while Stan and Kyle shared the other. A small living room sat beside an equally small kitchen, but there was enough room for a couch, dining table, small coffee table, television and stand, one recliner, and three stools that sat under their island counter top. It was home. Well, Tweek's home away from home. Nothing would replace his mother's home cooked meals and his father's freshly brewed coffee each morning. Plopping onto the couch next to Wendy, Tweek happily accepted the paper plate Kyle handed him before watching him sit in the recliner.

"We went to the library." He said, grabbing a piece of pizza and leaning back in the chair. Stan quickly pressed a kiss to Wendy's cheek before digging into his own slice.

"How was your first day, babe?" Stan asked around a mouth full of pizza. Wendy snickered.

"Busy. You?"

"Same," He said, swallowing what was in his mouth. "What about you, Tweek?"

"Boring." Wendy grinned.

"He met a boy!" Kyle gasped.

"What?! Details!" He begged, licking the tomato sauce off his fingers. Tweek grinned as he picked a piece of pepperoni off his pizza, placing it in his mouth.

"Well…I made an ass of myself in front of him. I fell asleep at work and he woke me up and scared the shit out of me."

"Mmm that's rough." Stan hissed, grabbing a second slice.

"Yeah, _I know_ ," Tweek sneered, Kyle snickering at his tone. "But… _god dammit_ , I got distracted by his eyes!"

"He had heterochromia! One blue, one brown!" Wendy informed, the boys blinking.

"Shit, I've never seen someone with that shit before." Stan murmured, shrugging as he continued eating.

"Yeah, neither had I! That's why _I was staring_! Anyways, he complimented my coffee and said he'd be back and, random detail, but he smokes. In a way it was…kind of a turn on? He was so mature and seemed so much older than a college student."

"Maybe he is?" Kyle suggested, grabbing another slice.

"I mean, maybe. I doubt it though." Tweek shrugged, finally taking a bite of his pizza. Wendy grabbed the remote.

"Alright, lets relax for now before we have to wake up and do classes all over again tomorrow." She suggested, everyone nodding.

"Wait! Don't we all have macroeconomics tomorrow?" Stan asked, all of them grinning. The four of them met freshman year and became fast friends, Wendy and Stan making themselves officially a couple only a little over a year ago. They met in their freshman business lecture and decided they'd always take at least one class together if at all possible. So far, it's worked out for them, and they decided that macroeconomics was their class of choice this semester.

"Shit that's right! Did the professor send us anything?" Kyle asked.

"Nope. Which is fine by me. One less thing to worry about." Stan chuckled, tugging the blanket sitting on the back of the couch over their laps. Tweek sighed.

"The professor is probably gonna be some crusty old dude who's been teaching economics since the fifties." Wendy giggled, elbowing his side.

"Hey be nice! I'm sure Professor Tucker will be great. He had good reviews on rate my professor."

"You still use that shit?!" Stan laughed, Wendy grinning.

"Hey, it was my turn to choose the class and professor we all took together, and he had, like, almost a perfect rating!" Tweek's interest was piqued. He never researched his professors like Wendy, he always liked to go in blind. With a shrug, he settled into the couch, deciding to enjoy the episode of _Seinfeld_ before the cycle repeated tomorrow.

* * *

Macroeconomics was the only class Tweek had on Tuesdays. He gave his past self a little pat on the back for that, because Tweek was going to need as much time to nap as possible this semester. Class wasn't until one, but it lasted until two fifteen. So an hour and fifteen minutes of class total. For the day. It was so easy, yet so hard for Tweek to want to go to class. Wendy, of course, lectured him on how he can't skip class on the _second day_ and that he needed to make a good first impression. Begrudgingly, Tweek rolled out of bed at eleven thirty, getting his shower, and then changed into one of his favorite outfits. It was a cooler day in Colorado, in the low fifties despite it still being summer, so he decided to wear a mustard yellow turtleneck with black jeans and black boots. He walked out into the kitchen where Wendy, Kyle, and Stan were all eating already, Tweek joining them after toasting a bagel and grabbing a cup of coffee.

"Is this your only class today, Tweek?" Kyle asked around his bagel.

"Yeah. Thankfully. Probably nap after or something. I'm off today." He said, sipping his coffee. They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, all of them resuming conversations with each other as they left their apartment building to head to class. It wasn't a long walk, about ten minutes to cross the campus. They were pushing the envelope a little bit, arriving at five minutes to one, so the classroom was pretty full. Tweek pushed the door open, looking over his shoulder back at Wendy as she spoke.

"Sit next to me!" Tweek snorted.

"Do you really think I'd sit next to anyone el-" As Tweek whipped his head around, he was greeted by a familiar face. Their professor sat in a chair, feet propped up on the desk. He wore red Converse that were clearly old and worn. Long, blue jean cladded legs shifted slightly as he tugged his phone out of his pocket, glancing down at it to check the time. He had on a flannel, maroon with navy blue and white interlocking across it. It's when he looked up that Tweek knew he was completely and _utterly fucked_ this semester. Those eyes. It was undoubtedly him. Even if he wore round, wire framed glasses, those eyes burned into his as he looked up. With a smirk of his lips, Craig pushed his glasses down to the tip of his nose, Wendy tugging Tweek along to two empty seata.

"What's wrong? You kind of just…froze up there." She asked once they sat down, Kyle and Stan two rows up. Tweek's face was hot. Or was the room hot? He wasn't sure. Maybe it _was_ him. Tugging at his turtle neck, he dropped his face to the cool table, eyes wide as he looked at Wendy. This was the hardest sentence he's ever had to form. He tugged her face low by his, eyes darting forward to make sure he wasn't listening.

"I…you remember the hot guy I told you about? The one that came into the coffee shop?" Wendy's face lit up.

"No way! Is he in this class?" She whispered, looking around. Tweek tugged her back down, eyes wide.

"No…he _fucking teaches it_."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Ya know, don't ever listen to me when I say I'm taking a break. Cause here I am, four days later, already chugging out a new story. BUCKLE UP BABIES CAUSE THIS ONE IS GONNA BE A BUMPY BUT FUN RIDE! I have been plotting this fic out for about a month now, and I couldn't wait to fucking write this any longer. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and yes, the fic is appropriately named after the 1984 Van Halen song, "Hot for Teacher". As always, I will link any songs mentioned in my fics and will eventually make a playlist, and any and all feedback is appreciated! (also, sorry for the fucked up formatting at the beginning my indentations disappeared!)

Song:  
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra-Benjamin Britton (the song is in the opening scene to Moonrise Kingdom, my favorite movie!)


	2. Lesson 2: Dealing with Your Emotions

_Focus._

 _Focus._

 _Focus._

Running his hands down his face, Tweek let out a shaky breath, Wendy hiding her lips behind her hand. Although hidden, Tweek knew she was grinning. Leave it to Tweek to fall head over heels for the guy in the coffee shop who so happens to be _his professor_. Wendy leaned over, resting her chin on Tweek's shoulder as they both watched Craig stand.

"He's _gorgeous_." She whispered, Tweek shooting her a glare.

"You're _not helping_." He hissed, knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping the edge of the table. A hush fell over the room as Craig leaned against the desk he was previously propping his feet up at, Tweek taking the moment to glance around the room. His stomach lurched as he noticed the obnoxious amount of girls twirling their hair around their fingers, a few of them giggling to each other as they watched the man leaning so elegantly against the desk. Tweek hates to admit it, but that bubbling feeling of a giggle was stuck in his throat, too. _Why is this happening? Out of all the people, he's my fucking_ _ **professor**_ _._ Tweek's heart rammed against his ribcage as he heard Craig speak.

"Christ, you guys got quiet quick," Tweek glanced at Wendy at the giggles that fell from half of the girls in the room, his eyes wide as he ducked down behind the person sitting in front of him. Tweek couldn't breathe. Is this what having a stroke is like? Probably not, but this was his own version of that. "Look, today's gonna be easy. I don't feel like teaching on the first day, so I'll pretty much make it easy on you and have you all out of here in a half an hour. Sound fair?" The room collectively nodded, Craig smirking. "Sweet," He rummaged through that same messenger bag Tweek saw him carrying yesterday, pulling out some papers and a pencil. "Pass this syllabus around. I'm too lazy to fucking move. Wait, shit, I curse a lot, so I apologize in advance…I guess." Tweek watched as Craig passed the stack of papers to the girl to his right, his cheeks warm as he saw the way she grinned at him.

"Dude, you're beet red." Wendy whispered to him, Tweek turning to look at her.

"I'm _mortified_."

"Why?"

"Because I _jerked off_ to our _econ professor_ last night." He hissed between his teeth, taking a syllabus as it was passed to him. Wendy slammed her hand over her mouth to stop from laughing.

"I guess I should learn all your names and faces, so I guess I'm taking attendance? Only on the first day, though, what you decide to do after today is up to you." Craig said, sitting cross legged on the desk now. Tweek watched as he twirled the pencil in his fingers effortlessly, as if he has done the motion so many times before. Tweek recognized some of the names on the list: Eric Cartman, Kenny McCormick, Leopold "Butters" Stotch, Bebe Stevens. He's had classes with some of them and Kyle and Stan were pretty friendly with the guys while Wendy was friends with Bebe. Tweek was jolted out of his daze when Wendy spoke.

"Here." She simply said, and Tweek blinked as he realized _his name was next_. Looking up slowly, he felt his cheeks heat up as his gaze met Craig's. Tweek swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way Craig smiled and clicked his tongue against the rough of his mouth.

"Tweek Tweak, huh?" _Oh dear God_. Tweek nodded, hating the way everyone slowly turned in their chairs to look at the kid with the weird name.

"Y-Yeah! That's-that's me! My parents weren't, uh, super creative I guess." His heart twisted in his chest as Craig let out a laugh, his tongue running over his teeth before he marked that Tweek was present on the paper. Setting the paper aside, Craig continued to twirl the pencil between his fingers, letting his legs drop over the edge of the table (though they were so long, Tweek noted, they rested on the floor).

"Alright, I know economics isn't the most interesting of topics. I hated it, honestly, when learning it, but yet, here I am, teaching it."

"So why'd you major in it?" Eric asked, Craig smirking a bit.

"I didn't. I'm actually a physics major, but an economics minor. I ended up doing well in economics despite my distaste for it, and discovered I kind of liked it about half way through my minor courses. So, that's why I'm here. Because NASA wasn't hiring, but this school was," Tweek let out a laugh, quickly slamming his hand over his mouth as Craig looked back at him. He quickly dropped his head to the table, catching Craig's lips turning up into a slight smile. "On the syllabus you'll see I put my email and phone number. Don't fucking text me at 3 in the morning and expect me to respond, because I'm either asleep or at a bar if it's the weekend," He paused a moment. "And don't text me if it isn't economics related," Tweek was surprised at the serious tone he used, assuming he's had this issue more than once. In that moment, he felt kind of bad for Craig. Sure, it's risky to give out your personal number, but these were his students, people he thought he could trust, and here they were taking advantage of having his number. Glancing down at the syllabus, Tweek traced over the number with his pen, smiling sadly at it. _At least you got his number_. "A little more about me, because I like talking about myself. I've been teaching here for three years now, and I graduated from the University of Colorado. I grew up in Denver where it was just my parents, me, and my brat of a little sister, Tricia. Oh! Nothing is wrong with my eyes, they're fine. I just have two different colored eyes. And don't fucking call me professor, I hate that shit. Just call me Craig." Tweek smiled a bit, glancing up at the man continuing to twirl his pencil between his fingers. There was something about the way that Craig said his own name that tugged at Tweek's heart strings. The blonde ended up tuning out the rest of the class, following along in the syllabus as Craig went over it. He jumped a bit when he felt Wendy's hand on his shoulder, noticing everyone packing up.

"Tweek, you okay?"

"I…yeah, just…tired." He murmured, though he knew Wendy knew the real reason why he was so distant.

"You still down to get lunch with us?" She asked as they stood. Since they were in the back of the room, they had to wait for everyone to slowly filter out.

"Yeah! Is this your only class today?" Wendy shook her head.

"I have class again at three thirty, but I have an hour for lunch." Tweek nodded, blinking as he heard a voice behind him before he reached the door.

"Small world, huh kid?" Tweek looked over his shoulder, Craig smirking at him as he continued to twirl his pencil.

"Huh? Oh! Y-yeah, what a coincidence!" He said between laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. Craig stopped twirling the pencil, chewing lightly on the eraser as he thought.

"You work today?"

"N-no, only Monday, Wednesday, and Friday." Tweek said, Wendy leaning against the door as she waited.

"A shame. I really needed your coffee again."

"I-I can bring you some! I mean-this is my only class on Tuesday and Thursday, so I can bring you a thermos each class if you want?" _Oh my god, Tweek, SHUT UP!_ Everything in Tweek's body was yelling at him to shut up, stop talking, cease with making sounds, but Craig actually grinned at him after a moment.

"You'd do that, kid?" Tweek let out a nervous laugh.

"If you supply the thermos, sure!" Craig hummed, tugging is glasses off his face.

"You got a deal. I'll see you tomorrow."

"We don't have class tomorrow?"

"I meant at the shop." Tweek felt his cheeks heat up again, Wendy's eyes burning holes into the back of his head.

"Oh! Duh, yeah! See-see you then!" Turning quickly, Tweek let out a yelp as he bumped his hip into the trashcan by the door as he squeezed past Wendy, who was holding the door open for him. Craig let out a soft laugh, Wendy waving goodbye as they walked to meet up with Kyle and Stan outside the building. Wendy jogged to catch up with Tweek, the blonde mercilessly tugging at his curls.

" _Tweek_ , do you understand what this means?"

"That I'm totally _fucked_ for this semester?!" He squeaked, eyes wide as they walked outside. The air was so refreshing to his too hot face.

"Well, that's not _quite_ how I'd phrase it." She purred, Tweek blinking.

"Wendy, I can't _sleep with our professor_!" He hissed, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Why not?! It's literally the fantasy of every horny college kid! Don't tell me you've never thought about sleeping with a professor." Tweek blushed, because _he has thought about it_ , but now that he actually has a crush on one of his professors, the task seems so _daunting_. Kyle blinked as they started walking.

"What the fuck are you two talking about?"

"Remember the cute guy from the coffee shop?" Wendy giggled, Stan and Kyle both nodding. "It was Craig." Stan blinked.

"Our _professor_?!"

" _Gah!_ Yell it a little _louder_ why don't you?!" Tweek squawked, punching Stan in the arm.

"Ow! Don't hit me!"

"Sorry! I'm just- _nngh_ -really freaked out!"

"Why?" Kyle asked as they walked into their favorite sandwich place on campus.

"I-I have a crush on our professor! I-I-fuck-I _thought about_ _him_ while doing _something_ last night!" He hissed between his teeth, Stan snickering.

"You unknowingly jerked off to our economics professor?" Tweek let out a yell, slamming his hand over Stan's mouth.

"Shut up, Stan!"

"Tweek, it's okay, you know. It isn't uncommon in college for professors and students to hook up. Hell, you're going to be twenty-one in October." Kyle chuckled, tapping on the touch screen to order his sandwich. Tweek turned to one of the kiosks, doing the same.

"I-I know, but…it just…seems _wrong._ We don't even know if he's _gay!_ "

"Bebe was giving him serious bedroom eyes for most of class. If he didn't react to her, I bet he's gay." Kyle chuckled, walking around the aisles of the shop to get some chips and a drink. Tweek followed him while Wendy and Stan ordered.

"I-I…I guess? I mean, I-I guess I was flirting with him before leaving class?" Kyle rasied an eyebrow.

"That's ballsy of you."

"Well, he started it! He was like, 'Small world, huh kid?' and I was all, 'Haha yeah!' and then he asked if I was working, and when I said no, he was bummed he couldn't have _my coffee_. _My coffee!_ So-so I said if he supplies me with a thermos, I'll bring him _my coffee_ each class, and he said yes to that. But-but here's the kicker! He said he'd _see me tomorrow_ , and the dumbass I am, said 'oh, we don't have class tomorrow' and he said 'yeah, but you work'. So he's coming _to see me_ at work! Or-or he just wants me coffee. What if he's just using me to get to my coffee?!" Kyle gently placed his hand over Tweek's mouth, the blonde's shaky breath tickling his hand.

"Breathe for me, Tweek." He murmured, Tweek's eyes closing as he tried to calm his anxious thoughts. After a minute, Kyle slowly pulled his hand away, Tweek frowning underneath.

"Thanks…" He mumbled, grabbing a pack of chips and a soda from the back wall. Kyle frowned.

"Just…take everything one day at a time. Maybe this crush will blow over. Maybe it won't. If it doesn't, just…take it one step at a time." Tweek nodded, walking to the register to pay. He liked living with Kyle because it was like having a therapist in the house at all times, and Lord knows Tweek needed a therapist. The rest of their lunch was filled with idle chatter, but a particularly snarky professor still lingered in the back of Tweek's mind.

* * *

Tweek was thankful his boss bought a new stool for the baristas to sit on when the shop wasn't busy (it never was), because this marketing homework was killing him. Hunching over the counter, Tweek flipped through his textbook, mumbling to himself as he scribbled down notes from his assigned readings. It was almost six and only five people have come in, and Tweek has been working since four. Two hours, six people, and no Craig. With a grunt, Tweek pushed off the counter, standing and walking to the back room to grab his dinner from the fridge. It was just a salad, but Wendy made it for him before she left for classes that day, and Wendy made everything with love. Grabbing a fork and stabbing into the lettuce after mixing his dressing in, Tweek walked out back to the front with a mouthful of salad, his eyes widening as he saw Craig flipping through his textbook.

"Marketing, huh?"

"I th'ght you we'nt c'min'." He choked out around his salad, quickly swallowing his mouthful and setting his salad aside. He quickly ran his tongue over his teeth, making sure no lettuce was in sight. _Not embarrassing yourself today, Tweek_. Plopping back down on the stool, Tweek looked at Craig, noticing he was smirking.

"I teach a five o'clock class on Wednesdays that goes until seven. I let them go early since it was the first day." Tweek nodded, leaning his elbows on the counter.

"How many sections do you teach?" Craig looked up at the ceiling, his brown eyes closing as his face scrunched up in thought.

"I teach two on Mondays and Fridays, yours and two others on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the one on Wednesday. So…six?" Tweek whistled low.

"That's a lot of economics." Craig snorted.

"Tell me about it, kid," Craig tapped his fingers against the counter top, looking up at the menu. "Ya know…I want you to do me a favor." Tweek blinked, looking up at him.

"Sure!"

"Make me your favorite drink." A light pink dusted across Tweek's cheeks and the bridge of his nose, a soft smile crossing his face.

"Oh…alright," He stood up, glancing up at Craig. "Medium?"

"Large. It was a long day." Tweek snorted, grabbing a large cup.

"You taught one class for an hour."

"Like I said, kid, a long day." Tweek smiled, turning to go and make his favorite drink. It wasn't anything crazy, but Tweek always enjoyed a vanilla latte. So that's exactly what he made Craig. After a few minutes, he slid the cup across the counter with a hum.

"On the house." Craig raised his eyebrow.

"You're kidding."

"I've been so bored. This was the most intricate drink I've made all day. Consider it a thank you." Craig let out a laugh, stuffing a five in the tip jar.

"Thanks, kid." Tweek leaned his cheek on the palm of his hand.

"Why do you call me that? If-if you don't mind me asking." Craig blinked.

"What? Kid?"

"Yeah…you know my name now." He teased, Craig smiling as he took a sip of his coffee. Tweek heard a soft hum escape his lips.

"I don't know…something about you, I guess," He took another sip, humming again. " _God_ , you do make a good cup of coffee. What even is this?"

"A vanilla latte." He chuckled, taking a bite of his salad.

"Seriously? It's only a vanilla latte?"

"Yup! That's my favorite drink." Tweek laughed, Craig smiling at that.

"Oh, I almost forgot," He reached into his messenger bag, Tweek laughing as he plopped a thermos on the counter. "I hope you didn't forget."

"Of course not. The timer on my coffee machine at my apartment is already set." Tweek said with a smile, grabbing the thermos and stuffing it into his backpack.

"Apartment, huh?"

"Yeah, I live at the apartment complex that's owned by the university. I actually room with Kyle, Stan, and Wendy. We always take a class together and yours happened to be our choice for this semester."

"I'm honored you chose me, then." Tweek smiled a bit at those words, sincerity in Craig's voice.

"Honored, huh?" He chuckled.

"Yeah! I mean," Craig leaned his hips against the counter, coffee in his hands. "Economics can be boring as fuck. I know it's a requirement for some majors, so I try to just be laid back and teach from the heart I guess… _fuck_ , that sounds so lame." Tweek snickered, standing to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"I mean, I know we haven't learned anything yet, but I'm kind of excited for economics? My dad was always into stocks and the economy since we have a small business, so it's something I always grew up with, but never knew much about." He explained, Craig watching him pour his coffee.

"That's right, you bleed coffee." Tweek stopped for a moment and thought.

"Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if I did." He joked, Craig laughing as he leaned his elbows on the counter, coffee in hand.

"And why do you say that?"

"Well, I've been drinking coffee since I was ten. I have probably only gone fifty days total without drinking coffee since then, and I turn twenty one in October." Craig's eyebrow jumped up, an amused smirk on his face.

"You drink _that_ much coffee?"

"I love it. It calms my anxiety." Tweek explained, Craig nodding slowly.

"Twenty one, huh? That's a pretty big birthday."

"I'm the last of my friends to turn twenty one, so everyone is excited. They all turned twenty one over the summer." Craig chuckled, sipping his coffee.

"I remember my twenty first…somehow. _God_ , I got so drunk. I can't believe that was nine years ago almost." Tweek blinked, his stomach flipping as he realized how much older Craig was than him.

"You're…gonna be thirty?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing." He laughed, those beautiful eyes lighting up with amusement. Tweek choked on his coffee, coughing into his elbow. He was definitely not expecting his math to be right. _Oh Christ, he's almost ten years older than you!_

"No! It's just-you don't look like you're going to be turning thirty!"

"It doesn't feel like it. It feels like I just turned twenty five, honestly. I'm the oldest out of my friends, so they keep calling me grandpa." Tweek snorted, leaning back against one of the coffee machines. It was warm, which comforted his nerves.

"That's rude."

"That's what I told them! Just because I need glasses doesn't mean I'm a grandpa." Tweek let out a laugh, sitting back up.

"I was gonna say. I was surprised to see the glasses." Craig chuckled, reaching into the front pocket of his dress shirt to tug those round wired frames out.

"Here." He held them out to Tweek, the blonde blushing as he took them and put them on. Blinking, he looked around, eyes squinting as he tried to adjust.

"Christ, you're not _that_ blind, but I guess my eyes are really good," He blinked again, noticing something. "Why is the right eye stronger?" Craig leaned his chin on the palm of his hand.

"One eye is near sighted, the other far sighted." Tweek blinked, turning to face him. Craig snickered as he watched him blink again to adjust his eyes.

"That can happen?"

"Apparently. I can see fine without them, but I get fucking headaches after a while. I spend so much time looking at computers and papers during the school year that I wear them more often." Tweek hummed, handing them back over to him.

"Makes sense," He flipped some of the lettuce in his salad around, finally stabbing some on his fork as he leaned back on the stool. "Don't you have a wife to get home to?" He teased, Craig laughing softly as he pushed off the counter.

"I'm not married. Plus," He started walking across the room to toss his now empty coffee cup out. "I don't swing that way." Tweek's eyes widened, letting out a yell as he lost his balance and fell backwards onto the floor, the stool clattering loudly onto the tile. _Oh god oh god oh god you're a fucking moron, Tweek!_ _What happened to not embarrassing yourself today?!_ Accepting his fate, Tweek just laid there, eyes wide as he felt his face turn as red as his apron. Craig's face peered over the edge of the counter, eyes slightly wide.

"Shit, kid, you alright?!"

"Y-Yup! I'm," Tweek held his thumb out to him, smiling weakly. "I'm peachy keen, dude." He breathed out, his heart racing in his chest.

"Are you sure? You're just…lying there." With a grunt, Tweek reached up and grabbed the edge of the counter.

"I'm good." He squeaked out, blinking as a hand grabbed his.

"Here," Craig leaned over the counter with such ease, Tweek was convinced he was standing on a chair. Once he was pulled upright, he blushed even more when he realized that Craig was, in fact, not standing on a chair. He was just _fucking tall_. "You promise you're good?" Tweek smiled a bit at his concern.

"Yeah-yeah, I'm good. I didn't hit my head, so it's okay." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Craig smirked a bit, glancing down at his phone.

"What time do you get off?"

"Nine. I close." Craig hummed, rummaging through his bag. That blue cigarette box was pulled out again, Tweek's chest tightening at the sight of Craig tucking a cigarette behind his ear and putting the box back in his back.

"Well, I look forward to your coffee tomorrow, Tweek," _Oh god, he said your name_. "And I know what it's like trying to work and be a student, so if you ever need help on anything once we start getting into the swing of things, just text me, alright?" Tweek blinked.

"What you said yesterday in class…about only texting you for economics related things…have people texted you things they shouldn't have?" Craig stopped for a moment, his jaw tightening as he thought. "You-you don't have to answer, I was just curious!"

"No, it-it's fine! But…yes. Each semester, without fail, there's always someone texting me after getting a little too drunk, expressing their _feelings_ for me. It…it sucks, because I want you guys to be able to text me if you have immediate questions. I'm not always able to check my emails, but I normally always have my phone on me. But, then again, I knew the risk of giving out my personal number, and I'd rather ignore a few unwanted texts than punish kids who actually need help." Tweek frowned, biting his lip.

"I'm sorry that happens to you." Craig shrugged, tucking the cigarette behind his ear between his lips.

"Don't be. After all," He smirked around the cigarette. "I'm a grandpa," Tweek smiled at him, watching him push off the counter and head towards the door. He waved over his shoulder, his other hand shoved into the pocket of his jacket. "Get home safe!" Tweek felt his heart flutter at the simple words, watching him walk out into the darkness. There was a glow from his lighter, and then darkness. Tweek knew where he was on the sidewalk from the soft glow of his cigarette. He watched the glow as it crossed the street, and eventually leaving his sight line. Turning back to his homework, Tweek found after ten minutes of trying to focus he absolutely couldn't. Not after the conversation he just had with his professor. _Professor_. Excitement bubbled inside Tweek, a grin crawling across his face as he dropped his head into his hands, giggling.

"God," He whispered to himself. "No wonder why they call it a crush." He whispered, his chest currently being crushed by giddiness. Shaking his head, he leaned on his elbows and tugged out his phone from the pocket of his apron, looking at the time. _6:35._ Craig spent a half an hour with him. Just them. And no one else. Quickly dialing Wendy's number, he resumed eating his salad.

" _Hello_?"

"He came in."

" _Details_." He heard the sink turn on in the background, assuming she was cleaning up from dinner.

"Well…he's gay."

" _Shut up! How'd you get_ _ **that**_ _out of him?!"_

 _"_ It came up in conversation. I'll tell you when I get home."

" _Okay, what else?"_

 _"_ I fell backwards on my damn stool and he helped me up and he has _soft hands_ , Wendy."

" _He did have nice skin_."

"Oh! He's going to be _thirty_ this year."

" _Oh god, that's so hot_."

"I thought the same thing! I never thought I'd find myself attracted to an older guy, yet, here I am." Wendy laughed on the other end, Tweek hearing the water turn off.

" _You're not just attracted to any older guy, Tweek. You're attracted to your professor_."

* * *

 **NOTE:** So, coincidentally, I have to pick my fall semester courses tomorrow, and I have to take marketing, and my professors name is CRAIG. I shit you not. (He apparently isn't a cute, young teacher, so boo). I am FLOORED by the response this fic has received so far! I received so many sweet messages on tumblr last night! You guys are so sweet! You warm my damn heart! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	3. Lesson 3: Talk About It

The next morning, Tweek felt that giddiness immediately crush his chest as he rolled out of bed to get his shower. Was it because he was going to see Craig today? Probably. No, definitely. That was _definitely_ why. It was baffling to him how quickly he fell for this guy. Tweek never develops a crush in the span of four business days, let alone a crush on someone _nine years older than him_. Stepping out of the shower, he looked at himself in the mirror, turning his head from left to right in the mirror to inspect his face. Freckles. Lots of them, sprawled carelessly across his pale cheeks and nose. Soft stubble was forming along his jaw line, but it was so blonde he barely noticed. There was a stray freckle that was darker in color that sat by his right eye, sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the rest. Tired eyes from years of caffeine abuse (well, abuse is a strong word. Years of caffeine addiction), but they were still a unique, bright green. His lips seemed too plump to him, but Wendy always said she envied them. Biting down on said lips, Tweek poked at his stomach, feeling the muscle hidden underneath a small layer of fat. He wasn't fat, but definitely chubby. Tweek didn't mind, having been scrawny growing up. He much preferred thick thighs to the chicken legs he used to carry himself on. Besides, thick thighs save lives, right? Shaking his head, Tweek continued with his morning routine, walking out into the kitchen after twenty minutes. Stan was the only one out there, the news on the TV for background noise.

"So…he's gay." Tweek blinked, turning from the fridge to look at Stan, cheeks already pink.

"I-how do you know?"

"Wendy told me he told you." Tweek cursed under his breath, sticking his head into the fridge and leaning against one of the shelves. His face already felt hot, and he hasn't left the apartment yet.

"God dammit! I didn't want you guys to know yet!"

"But Wendy could?" He chuckled, taking a bite of his eggs.

"It's different with you and Kyle! I don't talk about boys with you guys!"

"Yeah, but you could." It was Kyle's voice, but Tweek never lifted his face from the shelf in the fridge.

"It's…I don't know, weird? I-I didn't think you two were that interested…"

"You're our roommate and friend, of course we're interested!" Stan laughed, standing to wash his now empty plate. Tweek jumped when the fridge started beeping, indicating it had been open for too long. Quickly jumping back after grabbing an apple, he slammed it shut, a red line across his forehead from leaning on the shelf. Kyle snickered.

"The red line across the forehead is a good look for you." Tweek flipped him off.

"Fuck off, dude." He laughed, taking a bite of his apple. He squeezed passed Stan, grabbing the blue thermos that sat beside the coffee maker and filled it (almost) to the top. Leaning behind his roommate, he pulled the fridge open and grabbed the creamer, doing a one Mississippi count of cream. _Just like the other day_. Satisfied with the coffee, he gave it a quick stir before closing it, walking over to his backpack and tucking it in. Kyle smirked.

"Oh, so now you're bringing him coffee?"

"Kyle, didn't I tell you to fuck off?" The red head snorted, Wendy walking out from her room.

"There are aggressive words being tossed around this morning." She teased, Tweek plopping down next to Kyle at the counter top as he continued to eat his apple.

"Kyle's being a dick."

"What the fuck?!" He smacked Tweek's arm, the blonde letting out a laugh. Wendy smiled, leaning up to press a quick kiss to Stan's cheek as he continued cleaning up his dishes from cooking.

"What's on everyone's agendas today?" Wendy asked, popping a bagel into the toaster.

"Well, after classes I'm meeting up with this girl named Heidi to start work on a semester long marketing project. There are other people, but she's the only one I remember." Kyle said, Tweek raising an eyebrow.

"And why is she the only one you remember?"

"Cause she's the-" Cutting himself off, Kyle shoved the rest of the banana he was eating into his mouth, his face turning a dark red. Stan turned, leaning against the sink.

"She's the _what_ , Kyle?"

"…th' prett'st." He mumbled around a mouthful of banana, his ears turning as red as his hair. Wendy squealed, leaning her elbows on the counter as she took a bite of her now finished bagel.

"Tell us more! You haven't been this red about a girl since freshman year!" Swallowing the food in his mouth, Kyle looked down at his phone resting on the counter top, his index finger reaching out to spin in on the counter.

"Well…she just transferred from the University of Utah. She's originally from Colorado, but she didn't like being so far away from home and the business program wasn't her favorite. So…we're meeting up with our group to start planning some shit and then…I'm…showing her around campus…?" Tweek grinned around his apple, elbowing Kyle. Once the red head looked at him, he gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Go get 'em, tiger."

* * *

Okay, walking in on the first day of class was no issue, but now that Tweek has the simple task of giving Craig coffee on his way in, he realized that's _a lot of attention_ from his classmates. What would they think when they saw him giving him coffee?! Would they think he's a kiss up? Shaking his head as they walked into the building, Tweek rummaged through his backpack, tugging the thermos out and holding it to his chest as they walked to the classroom. Stan gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze as they rounded the corner to the stretch of classrooms, Tweek shooting him a thankful smile before they walked in. Without a word, Tweek slid the thermos across his desk, shooting Craig a soft smile when he looked over his shoulder from writing on the white board. He smiled at Tweek, but did that think where he licks his teeth, as if he was trying not to smile too wide. It made Tweek's stomach flutter.

"Thanks, kid."

"One-one splash of cream, just like last time." He breathed out, turning to walk to his seat next to Wendy. As he turned, he saw all the eyes of the jealous girls glaring at him. However, Tweek didn't feel _shame_ or _regret_ , but confidence. With a smirk, he walked to his seat, that orchestral piece he had to listen to earlier in the week playing in his head as he walked. He wasn't sure why, but it felt fitting for the moment. Tweek had something that all these girls didn't: a dick and Craig's attention. That alone was enough to make Tweek feel untouchable. Sliding into his seat, he looked at Wendy, cheek leaning onto the back of his hand.

"You seem…calm." She said, tugging her notebook out.

"Because I have something these girls don't." He whispered, a look of confusion crossing Wendy's face. He dropped his gaze down to the crotch of his jeans, and Wendy smacked his arm as she grinned and giggled.

"You're so fucking confident all of a sudden!"

"Well, I also have his _attention_." He said between his teeth, glancing up front to see Craig take a sip of the coffee. Tweek raised his eyebrow at him, the man setting the thermos down after a long gulp. He gave him a quick thumbs up and a smirk, Tweek's heart flipping in his chest at the simple notion. Wendy grabbed Tweek's hand under the table, giving it a squeeze.

" _Tweek_." She gasped, but her friend's face was already as red as Kyle's hair, a grin on his face as he looked at her. The class was…okay. To Craig's word, economics was boring, but he did try his hardest to make it as interesting as possible. At around two o'clock, fifteen minutes before class was supposed to end, Craig looked up at the clock as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Alright. I'm done. See ya'll Tuesday." He said, sitting cross legged on his desk as everyone packed up. Tweek blinked, his chest tightening as he just sat there sipping at _his_ coffee. With a smile, Tweek packed up his bag and stood, Wendy smiling at him.

"You gonna talk to him?"

"Well…I have to. I gotta find out when I'm getting his thermos." He murmured, slowly making their way up front. She gave his hand a squeeze, smirking.

"I'll meet you out front with the guys." Tweek blinked, watching her push her way to the front to meet with Stan and Kyle. _God dammit_. Soon enough, it was just Tweek standing in front of Craig, the person who was in front of him walking out the door, and leaving the two of them. Alone. Tweek swallowed hard, smiling.

"I hope the thumbs up was a good thing?"

"Well, typically speaking, a thumbs up is a good thing, kid." Tweek blushed, laughing softly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Didn't know if you were just being nice, or something." He teased, Craig letting his legs drop to the floor. _God, he's all leg_. Craig smiled, taking a sip from his thermos.

"It's really good, Tweek," He stood up, walking around to erase the board. "When can I give this back to you? I'm planning on making this last the next two classes I have to teach today." Tweek rocked on his feet, thinking.

"Well, I work tomorrow, so you could always drop it off there?" Craig hummed as he thought.

"Sounds like a plan."

"You know, you don't have to buy coffee every time you come in." Tweek said, fiddling with the strap of his backpack. Craig leaned against the whiteboard after the erased it, smirking as he crossed his arms.

"Why do you say that?"

"If you need to just drop off your thermos and run, it's okay. I'm used to it being empty in there." Craig chuckled, running a hand through his hair and rubbing the back of his neck.

"You don't enjoy my company, Tweek?" He teased, Tweek's face flushing a bright red once more.

"No, I do! I-I just know you're a very busy man and-and don't want to hold you up." _Man_. The word felt weird coming from his lips. Sure, Tweek himself was a man. But Craig? Craig was _all man_. And that was such a turn on to Tweek. Something flashed across Craig's gorgeous eyes as he pushed himself off the whiteboard to grab his bag.

"Maybe I just enjoy talking to you," Tweek blinked, his mouth opening and then snapping shut. _Oh sweet Jesus, I'm going to die this semester_. Craig smirked a bit, nodding his head towards the door. "Come on, walk with me." Dumbly nodding, Tweek followed him, looking like a puppy following the heel of his owner. Trying to snap out of his daze, Tweek ran his hands down his face, trying to quickly collect his thoughts.

"I can bring you a different flavored coffee next week if you want." Craig glanced down at him.

"Yeah? What do you recommend?" Tweek swallowed, thinking.

"I have a good hazelnut brew." Craig hummed, holding the door open for Tweek. Tweek blushed, but nodded his head as a thanks as they walked outside. He saw Wendy, Stan, and Kyle waiting for him by the parking lot.

"I could get down with hazelnut." Craig finally said, causing Tweek to snort.

" _Get down_?"

"What, the kids don't say that?" He teased, Tweek grinning.

"Don't act like such a grandpa, you're not _that_ old." He laughed, Craig laughing as well, rummaging through his bag. That blue carton of cigarettes was pulled out, Craig tucking one between his lips and putting the cartoon back. He rummaged through his pocket for his lighter.

"Hey, don't knock the grandpa life, it isn't so bad." He said around the cigarette, flicking his found lighter to life and inhaling. Tweek ran his tongue over his lips as he watched the process in broad daylight instead of through the shop window. _God fucking dammit he's beautiful_. Craig made sure to exhale away from Tweek, the blonde rocking on his feet again as he thought.

"I gotta go get some lunch with Wendy, Stan, and Kyle, but I'll…see you tomorrow?" Craig smirked, the cigarette between his index and middle finger now. His eyes were so much more brighter in the sun and not under the harsh lighting of the shop and classroom.

"Sounds like a plan." Tweek smiled, waving goodbye as he turned to walk towards his friends. Craig watched him for a second before turning to go get lunch from a nearby food truck. He didn't see the wide eyed look the blonde he was previously talking to give his friends, the three of them looking at Tweek with raised eyebrows. Tweek opened his mouth to speak, but quickly snapped it shut and slammed his hands over his face.

" _Fuck!"_ He shouted.

"What?! Was it bad?!" Wendy asked, grabbing his wrists.

" _NO!_ And that's the problem!" Stan furrowed his brows as they started walking, dropping one arm around Tweek's shoulders and the other around Wendy's.

"Why is that a problem?"

"Because he said he likes talking to me and-and how can I when all I do is _babble_ and _embarrass_ myself in front of him?!"

"Maybe he likes that about you?" Kyle suggested, Tweek sucking in a breath to calm his racing heart.

" _Why?!_ I can't fucking go a day without falling on my ass over him!"

"Did you fall today?" Stan asked.

"N…no?"

"Then you did it!" Tweek grunted, pouting his lower lip out.

"You're not helping, Stan."

"Sorry, but I think you should play into it." Tweek blinked.

"What?"

"He's clearly flirting back with you. Play into it while you can." Tweek blinked again, falling quiet. If Stan called it flirting, then maybe Craig _was_ flirting with him. _Why would he do that, though_? Shaking his head to stop his self-deprecating thoughts, he tried what his therapist suggested to him: replace those thoughts with uplifting thoughts. _No! You're a catch. You're pretty cute. Maybe he's into blonde guys with caffeine addictions and anxiety._ They walked into the pizza shop on campus and up to the front to order, each getting a slice of pizza. Tweek, for the second time that week, was distant during lunch because of a Mr. Craig Tucker.

* * *

The soft hum of the coffee machine was really killing Tweek's mood. It was the only sound in the coffee shop besides his breathing, and this is _not_ how he wanted to spend his first Friday of the semester. With a sigh, Tweek rummaged through his backpack and pulled out his laptop, setting it on the counter. He had some time before work to finish his homework, so he was going to catch up on his favorite show: Sex and the City _._ He started watching it one night over the summer with his mom, wanting to keep her company since his dad was away to go look for a new coffee bean supplier. Tweek wasn't expecting to love the show as much as he did, but here he was, on season three and loving it. Leaning his chin onto the palm of his hand, he started watching an episode, the minutes slowly crawling past. He was on his third episode by the time the little bell rung above the door, his face flushing as the sounds of moaning came from his laptop. With a yelp, he quickly muted his laptop and slammed it shut, his eyes widening as he heard a familiar voice.

"I know it probably gets lonely in here, but not _that_ lonely." Tweek let out an embarrassed whine, shaking his head.

"N-NO! It- _fuck_ -I was watching Sex and the City!" He admitted, Craig letting out a laugh.

"I didn't think anyone still watched that show."

"My-my mom loves it and re-watches the series every now and then. She watched it over the summer and I-I watched it with her one weekend while my dad was out of town and-and I was hooked!" Craig leaned against the counter, chuckling.

"I remember my mom watching it while I was in middle school. It seems so long ago, but now I'm almost as old as some of these characters, and that freaks me out." Tweek laughed a bit, noticing his outfit choice. It was warmer today, so he had on a black polo and jeans with boat shoes. _Good choice_. Tweek had to stop himself from staring at Craig's arms, because _god damn_ they were beautiful. Tweek doesn't expect any less than beautiful when it comes to Craig. He stopped suddenly, noticing something on his right bicep.

"What's on your arm?" He asked, furrowing his brows. Craig blinked, then smiled.

"Oh!" He rolled up the short sleeve to show off his right arm, Tweek blinking when he saw it. A tattoo with beautiful blues and greens and yellows sat on his arm, Tweek realizing what it was: Starry Night. The moon sat beautifully by his shoulder, flecks of orange surrounding it. Surprisingly, it did look like paint was on his arm, and Tweek was flabbergasted. "I got this for my twenty second birthday as a celebration for graduating college. I've always been a huge fan of space and Van Gogh, so I figured this was the perfect tattoo to commemorate two of my favorite things." _Van Gogh. Space. Remember this, Tweek_. The blonde grinned slowly, slowly reaching a hand out.

"Can I?" He asked, Craig nodding. He ran his fingers gently over the ink, the line work so beautiful and paint like, he half expected to see paint on his hand when he pulled it away. "I've always been a fan of Starry Night." He admitted, and it wasn't a lie.

"Yeah?"

"I just…I've struggled with my own shit, just like Van Gogh. I'm assuming you know about his life if you have his work tattooed on you, but I've always found him interesting. It's so sad. He never got to see how famous his work would really be." Tweek let out a sigh, pulling his hand away from Craig's arm. Craig hummed, tugging his sleeve back down.

"That's something I've been meaning to mention," Tweek blinked, watching Craig's jaw work as he figured out what he wanted to say. "Because I'm your professor…I know what students are registered with the disabilities resource office," Tweek felt his face heat up. "So…because I trust you…I want you to text me whenever you need to, okay? I've seen what panic attacks can do to people, and I want you to feel comfortable enough with me that you can tell me if you feel like you're going to have one, alright, Tweek?" Tweek stared at him for a moment, opening his mouth but no words came out. No professor has ever reached out to him like this about his panic attacks, and the fact Craig _was_ made Tweek feel so important.

"I…thank you, Craig…that… _really_ means a lot to me." He breathed out, smiling weakly at him. Craig smiled back at him, pushing up off the counter.

"I want to try this hazelnut coffee of yours you mentioned." Tweek blinked, remembering that he was at work.

"Large with a splash of cream?"

"You know it, kid," Tweek hummed, standing up and going to the coffee dispenser that had the hazelnut blend in it. He felt relaxed, despite having Craig walk in while a _sex scene_ was playing loudly, but Tweek felt good. Humming quietly to himself as he prepared the coffee, he snapped the lid on and slid on a sleeve, sliding it over to Craig. He handed him a five, as he always does. "Keep the change." Tweek blinked, blushing a bit.

"Oh! Thanks." He said with a smile, sticking the five in the register and dropping the change in the tip jar. Craig glanced at his phone, humming as he sipped the coffee.

"What time you work 'til?"

"Nine, as usual." Tweek sighed, blinking as his stomach growled. Craig raised an eyebrow with an amused smirk on his face.

"You hungry?"

"I…yeah. I forgot to grab food before leaving. I was doing homework and lost track of time and didn't have time to make dinner." Craig hummed in thought, pushing up off the counter.

"What do you want?"

"Excuse me?"

"What're you hungry for?"

"You're not being serious, are you?" Craig smirked, tugging his phone out.

"We'll order food. Come on, what's something you've wanted but haven't had for a long time?" Tweek blushed, thinking a moment.

"McDonald's." Craig let out a laugh, the kind that makes his face light up and Tweek feel weightless.

"Seriously?!"

"I haven't had McDonald's since I was fifteen." He admitted, Craig's mouth falling open.

"Oh, we're getting fucking McDonald's then. What do you want?" He started typing on his phone.

"Nuggets and fries."

"Nuggets?"

"Well, if you're gonna call me kid, I'm gonna eat like one." Craig snorted.

"Touché, kid."

* * *

After they ordered their food, Craig sat down after deciding to send some emails while Tweek continued to watch Sex and the City (with headphones this time). Only one person came in, and it was to use the restroom. Tweek sighed, slouching against his hand as he doodled on the front of his notebook while watching his show. He gave the man that came in a soft smile as he left and looked back down, continuing his drawing. Craig, however, kept steeling glances at the blonde behind the counter. It made him sad to know such talent was being wasted at this shop. Because of the reputation it has, no one knows about Tweek's coffee, and that makes him sad. Well, it's also nice because it's like his own little haven to come to. _Haven_. He turned his attention back to his laptop, rubbing his eyes under his glasses to calm his racing head. Okay, so he wouldn't lie and say he didn't find _his student_ attractive. From the moment he first spoke, Craig knew he was something special, and his point has continued to be proven correct the more he hangs around Tweek. Running the tip of his tongue over his top lip as he rubbed his eyes, Craig thought to himself. _Okay. Pros and Cons. Pro: he's super cute. He doesn't treat you like other guys have in the past. He makes_ _ **really good coffee**_ _and has been so kind to offer to bring you some each class. Cons: nine years younger. Student._ _ **Student**_ _._ Shaking his head, Craig let out a sigh, dragging his hands down his face. He couldn't get wrapped up in this shit right now. He stole one last look at the blonde behind the counter, blinking when he saw Tweek's head quickly turning back to his laptop. _He was staring at you_. Craig turned his attention back to his own laptop, leaning forward onto his hands. He did that so he could hide the dumb smile crawling across his face. He jumped a bit as his phone buzzed by his arm, a number he didn't recognize popping up. _Food_. Tweek watched Craig stand and walk outside, answering his phone. He hummed, knowing that was their food. Sure enough, Craig came back in with their food, Tweek clasping his hands together.

"Fucking _finally_!" He grinned, shutting his laptop and walking around from behind the counter. Craig laughed softly, setting his food across from his spot at his table. Tweek sat in the chair opposite him, happily digging into the well needed food. They sat silent for a while, both too hungry to stop eating. Finally, as he sipped at his soda, Tweek looked up from his food. "What're your plans for tonight?" Craig looked up from his own food, sticking a French fry in his mouth.

"I think my friends and I are going to a bar."

"Ah, to be of legal age to drink." Tweek sighed, sitting cross legged in his chair. Craig chuckled, sipping at his lemonade.

"Two more months, kid, two more months." He reminded him, Tweek smiling a bit.

"What bar, might I ask?"

"There's one not too far from here called Paddy's. It's the cheesiest place ever but they have good prices." Tweek grinned slowly.

"I've been there! We moved into our apartment at the beginning of August and Stan, Wendy, and Kyle wanted to go. They snuck me in through the bathroom window." He laughed, Craig snorting.

"A kid like you doesn't have a fake?"

"I'm not _that_ much into drinking. Sure, it's fun to get drunk, but I'm not doing it every weekend like some of my friends." Craig nodded, sipping his drink again.

"Understandable," He thought a moment. "How'd the rest of _that_ night go?"

"It was…fine? Wendy would slide me drinks every now and then, but I wasn't in the mood to get plastered. I was a little tipsy, but Stan was off the fucking wall. As was Kyle. This was the first time they were able to officially go to a bar, so they went a little over board. They had only turned twenty one a few days prior to moving in, so they didn't get the chance to go to a bar to drink since they were busy packing. Wendy and I were up all night taking care of them.

"You really care about them, don't you?" Tweek blinked, not expecting the question.

"Well, of course! They're like my brothers and sister. I'm an only child, so I-I never had the experience of having a sibling to hang out with…I imagine that this is what it's like." Craig smiled a bit.

"It's not far from what having a sibling is like," He twirled his French fry around his dipping sauce. "My sister, Tricia, is three years younger than me. We fought _so much_ when I was in my teens. But…by the time we were both in high school, things settled down, and we started hanging out more and more. Now she's married and five months pregnant, so I'm gonna be an uncle with grandpa tendencies." Tweek let out a laugh, but smiled.

"That's so sweet, though! Congrats on becoming an uncle." Craig smiled, eating the French fry he had been playing with.

"Thanks, kid."

"Is it a boy or girl?"

"Girl. She's gonna be as headstrong as her mother, so I'm interested to see how my sister handles this." Tweek smiled, twirling his straw around his soda.

"I'm kind of bummed I'll never be an uncle, but who knows, maybe I'll be an honorary uncle to Wendy's child. She's an only child as well, so it works out." Craig smiled at his optimism.

"That's some good thinking, Tweek." Tweek's stomach flipped at the sound of his name, not used to hearing it come out of Craig's mouth. It was kind of nice to hear it every now and then. He glanced at the time on his phone. _7:37._

"You should get going if you're going to a bar." He teased, Craig smirking.

"Yeah, you're probably right." He gathered up his trash and tossed it in the trashcan behind Tweek, stuffing his laptop into his bag and tugging out a cigarette. Tweek hummed as he watched him.

"How long have you been smoking?" Craig looked up, smirking.

"You sound like my mother when she first saw me smoking," Tweek's cheeks turned a light pink, but Craig smiled. "Since I was twenty. I don't do it as often anymore. I used to go through a pack every other day, but now I only smoke around three to four times every few days. I'm trying to slowly quit."

"Realized they're bad for you after ten years?" Craig snorted, twirling the cigarette between his fingers.

"Well, there's that. I also had a cancer scare about four years ago." Tweek choked on his soda, coughing after he managed to swallow it.

"You _what_?!" Craig let out a soft laugh, running a hand through his hair.

"I was having chest pains on my left side, which I thought was weird because I've never had chest pains before, even after smoking for six years at that point. So, I went to the doctor because my dad has a history or heart problems on his side of the family. I walked in and told them what was going on. They did an X-ray of my chest and sure enough," He lifted his arm up, pointing with his other hand to a spot on his side by his heart. "There was a tumor in the muscle." Tweek blinked, his heart dropping to his stomach.

"Well, was it cancerous?"

"Thankfully, no, but I spent four weeks wondering if that was it. I didn't know if I would have another fifty or sixty years ahead of me or another fifty to sixty weeks. Once I got the call telling me it was benign, I knew I had to start living life a little more, ya know? I kept thinking of the "what if's" and the "why didn't I's" during that time as well. So, before I decided I really needed to find a full time job, I did some traveling by myself for a few months through Europe. I realized that I can't hold myself back anymore." Tweek smiled a bit at that, humming.

"That's some pretty deep shit." Craig let out a soft laugh, rummaging through his bag and holding out his thermos to Tweek.

"It's cleaned already." Tweek smiled, taking it.

"Some hazelnut coffee will be greeting you on Tuesday, then." Craig chuckled, tucking the cigarette between his lips. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed Tweek's chin gently, tilting his chin up to look at him with a smirk.

"Get home safe, kid," He said around the cigarette, a trait Tweek has come to grow fond of, before letting his hand fall and heading out the door. Tweek stared at the spot Craig was previously standing at, his heart pounding in his ears. As Craig walked down the street, cigarette lit between his lips, he thought back to what he said.

" _So before I decided I really needed to find a full time job, I did some traveling by myself for a few months through Europe._ _ **I realized that I can't hold myself back anymore**_ _."_ Chuckling to himself, he exhaled with an exasperated sigh and a look of thoughtfulness on his face. He stopped walking once he was a few blocks away, tilting his head up to look at the stars that were starting to paint the night sky. With a soft hum and a shake of his head, Craig smirked as he stuck the cigarette back in his mouth, speaking around it once more. "Start taking your own damn advice, you fucking idiot."

* * *

 **NOTE:** I have been writing for about five hours now, and I don't regret it at all. I'm so glad you're all enjoying this story as much as I am! I love reading all your comments and seeing how thirsty ya'll are for my Craig (don't worry, I'm a lil thirty for him as well). Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	4. Lesson 4: How to Breathe

The school year has officially begun to kick into high gear, and that means it has officially begun to kick Tweek's ass. It's been about a month since classes started, meaning it's about three weeks until his birthday. He was currently sitting in his room at his desk, headphones on as he tried to focus on his marketing homework with little success. Feeling his phone buzz besides his hand, he looked down, smiling when he saw it was from his mom.

 _Hope I'm not disturbing you! Wanted to know if you were available for a phone call at some point?_

Tweek chuckled at the text, pushing back in his chair and putting his headphones around his neck as he laid on his bed. Quickly dialing her number, he held his phone up to his ear, and around the third ring, he grinned.

" _I didn't necessarily mean right this minute, but I'm glad it was a good time."_

"I was doing homework and needed a break." He chuckled, looking up at his ceiling.

" _So what's been going on?! How're classes going? Like all your professors?"_ Tweek's heart thumped hard against his chest at the mention of _liking professors_.

"Um, it's been pretty good! Sales and marketing are definitely my most difficult classes, but my gen ed is interesting enough."

" _And what about macroeconomics? You know your father is all excited about you taking that."_ Tweek swallowed hard, biting on his lower lip.

"Well…it's fine…not too difficult. At least not yet."

" _Something's on your mind."_ Tweek laughed a bit at that, his mother always knowing when to call him out somehow.

"I…met a guy." There was a pause.

" _You don't sound too happy about it."_

"Well…it's _difficult_."

" _How so_?" He heard chopping in the background, assuming she was preparing dinner.

"You…might want to put the knife down, mom."

" _Tweek, honey, you're starting to freak me out a bit."_ The chopping stopped.

 _"_ Mom, I have a crush on my professor!" He blurted out, sitting upright in his bed as he felt his face heat up. He quickly crawled to the foot of his bed, tossing the window open to let some air in the room that now felt too small. Mary Tweak let out a laugh, the chopping resuming.

" _Sweetie, that's perfectly normal!"_

 _"_ No, but mom, he _flirts back_." The chopping stopped once more.

" _Oh, well this is interesting_ …"

"I met him the day before I had his class, so I didn't _know_ he was my professor until the next day! He came into work and I _fell asleep_ listening to classical music for my gen ed and he was super sweet and nice and I thought I'd never see him again but _god dammit_ I was so wrong." He breathed out, grunting as he tossed the screen open and stuck his face outside.

" _What are you doing_?"

"I can't talk about him without turning _beet red_ , so I'm sticking my face out my bedroom window." He whined, hanging his arm over the edge of the window sill. He glanced down at the ground below him, watching students go about their lives.

" _You like him_ _ **that**_ _much?"_

 _"_ Mom, he's _everything_ I've always dreamed about." Tweek whispered, afraid someone would hear him.

" _How old is he?"_

"He's turning thirty soon," Tweek felt his stomach do flip flops as he thought about Craig. "He's going to be an uncle in about two months now, he majored in physics at the University of Colorado, but minored in economics. He-mom-he has _heterochromia_ , meaning he has two different colored eyes, so one is blue and the other brown! He's _literally_ tall, dark, and handsome, like, he's taller _than me_ , and you know I'm six two!" Tweek found himself babbling on and on about Craig for another few minutes, Mary eventually speaking.

" _I haven't heard you this excited about a boy…well, man, ever."_

"He…knows about my panic attacks because of him being my professor, so the office sent him my records. He told me he wants me to text him whenever I have one or think I'm going to have one, so that way I can talk to someone if no one is around. None of my professors have ever done this for me, let alone _talk_ to me about them." Tweek breathed out, looking out at the slowly setting sun.

" _What's his name, sweetheart?"_

"Craig…Craig Tucker." Tweek could practically feel his mom's smile through the phone.

" _Well, he sounds like quite the charmer_." She chuckled, Tweek sighing and running his free hand down his face.

"He really is, mom, and I _really like him_ , and that kind of scares me."

" _Why does it scare you, sweetheart?"_

 _"_ Because he's nine years older than me and my professor! Don't you think that's a little weird?! Your son has a crush on _his macroeconomics professor_!"

" _I don't think it's strange. Your father is six years older than me! Dating someone older or younger than you isn't as uncommon as you think it is, Tweek. Just…be careful if you do end up pursuing this. Some people could get touchy about a student professor relationship."_

 _"_ I can't believe you're condoning this…"

" _Anyone that makes my son sound this happy is automatically a stand-up guy in my book."_ Tweek couldn't help but smile at that, closing his eyes.

"Thanks mom…"

" _You're welcome, Tweek. Have you eaten dinner?"_

"Not yet. I think Stan and Kyle are out studying at the library and they usually always grab a pizza on the way home."

" _Oh! Yes, tell the boys and Wendy hello for me, will you? How're they doing?"_

 _"_ I will, and they're about the same as me…without the whole professor bullshit."

" _Your birthday is coming up in three weeks. Any big plans for your twenty first?"_

"They're just excited to finally take me to a bar without having to sneak me in through the bathroom window." Tweek grinned as he heard his mother laugh.

" _I don't know how you four haven't been caught yet."_

"I don't know either." He laughed, shutting the screen as he finally felt his face cool off. He kept the window open, however, as he sat back down at his desk.

" _Well, listen, I'll let you go. I was just missing you extra today. Today was the first day we sold scones in the shop for the fall and winter season and they always make me think of you."_ Tweek hummed, thinking about his mother's homemade scones.

"God, don't talk about your cooking. I miss it so much." He chuckled, doodling aimlessly on the corner of his homework.

" _Maybe I'll make some and send them to you. I'll put together a little care package for your birthday."_

"That sounds great, mom."

" _Alright, handsome. Call me if you have any_ _ **man**_ _questions, alright?"_ She laughed, Tweek blushing a bright red as he smiled.

"Oh my god, mom." He laughed, running his hand down his face again.

" _Love you, sweetie_."

"Love you too, mom. Tell dad hello for me, yeah?"

" _Will do!"_ Tweek sighed as he hung up the phone, leaning back in his desk chair and looking at the ceiling. Okay, so his mother wasn't _totally_ freaked out about his little crush on Craig. Well, it wasn't so little anymore. It was definitely a full blown, heart pounding, stomach fluttering, chest tightening crush, and Tweek has never felt this head over heels for anyone. Maybe his mom had a point. It _isn't_ uncommon to date someone older or younger than you these days. So why was he so afraid? _There's rejection, humiliation, and embarrassment._ Shaking his head, he tangled his fingers into his unruly curls, tugging lightly at them as he felt anxiety crawl up from his stomach to his throat. _No! Stop thinking like that. He's been flirting back with you!...right? No. Who would want you? Look at you, getting all worked up over something that should make you happy. Pathetic. Worthless. Weak. Piece of sh-_ Pushing back from his desk once more, Tweek stumbled out into the living room, choking back a sob as his anxiety started to consume him.

"Wendy?!" There was no response. The apartment was empty. He couldn't breathe, his hands shaking as he grabbed the doorframe to spin himself around back into his room. _Oh god oh god oh fuck oh god._ Tweek slammed his door shut, hands instinctively reaching down to scratch at his forearms. Choking back a sob, he fumbled through his desk for a specific folder. _Where the hell IS IT?!_ Finally, he found that blue folder, slamming it on his desk and flipping it open. _Syllabus. Syllabus. Syllabus._ He sighed in relief when he found it, shaking hands grabbing his phone and dialing the number that had been traced over countless times. Tweek felt like he was suffocating. He had to sit down, his chest so constricted it was making him dizzy.

" _Hello_?"

"P-Please talk to me, Craig." Tweek choked out, hand tangling into his hair as he tried not to claw at his arms.

" _Tweek?"_

"I-I can't breathe. No-no one is home." His breathing was so rapid at this point, short gasps the only thing he could manage to get in.

" _Hey, hey it's okay. Listen to my voice, yeah? Focus. You said you live at the university owned apartments, right?"_

 _"_ Yeah-yeah, I do."

" _Okay. Talk to me. What's going on?"_

 _"_ I just- _fuck_ -I-I just started letting these-these self-deprecating th-thoughts go on and-and on and I couldn't _STOP!"_ He cried out, the hand in his hair flying down to the arm that's holding his phone up, fingers curling and leaving angry scratch marks on his forearms.

" _Okay. Do me a favor. Stop scratching yourself."_ Tweek blinked.

"How-how did you-"

" _I can hear it. Now, walk outside."_

"Craig, I-I don't-"

" _Trust me, okay?"_ The sincerity in his voice activated something deep in the back of Tweek's mind, his legs moving before he even realized they were.

"F-fine," He choked out. Sliding on a pair of sandals, Tweek grabbed his keys and left his apartment. He pressed the button for the elevator, his shaky breath the only sound between the two men on the phone. Once it got to his floor, he sniffled, stepping on the elevator. "'m on the elevator…"

" _Okay, good. How was your day today? It's Friday. I thought you'd be at work?"_

 _"_ I-I had off…"

" _That's good! I think you deserve a day off. You work hard."_ Tweek's lips twitched up a bit.

"I-I do work a-a lot, huh?" He kept his head down as he got off the elevator, that lump still stuck in his throat as he walked outside. "'m outside." He whispered, wrapping his arm around himself self-consciously.

" _Look up_." Craig chuckled, causing Tweek to furrow his brows. Looking up, Tweek felt his chest tighten, but it wasn't from anxiety. Craig was across the parking leaning against his car, sunglasses on with his phone held up to his ear. _Why does he have a fucking convertible? Fucking asshole._

"Why did you come here?" He whispered into the phone, tears pooling into his eyes.

" _No one should be alone when having a panic attack,"_ Craig murmured into the phone, Tweek closing his eyes as a few tears fell. " _Hey, c'mere."_ Tweek nodded, knowing Craig could see it. He hung up the phone and let out a shaky breath, trying to calm his emotions. Pressing the palms of his hands to his tear streaked cheeks, Tweek crossed the parking lot, trying to wipe any tears away as he approached Craig. Once by his side, Tweek couldn't bring himself to look at him, knowing he was a mess, so he wrapped his arms around his stomach, sniffling as he looked at his feet.

"T-Thanks…" He whispered, cursing under his breath as he felt more tears fall.

"You want to talk about it?" _I can't_. _Not with you_. Tweek shook his head, tightening his arms around himself.

"N-No. It was s-stupid, anyways. _I'm_ stupid"

"Hey," Tweek gasped as he felt Craig's hand under his chin, forcing his face up from the ground and up to look at him. His sunglasses were on top of his head, his other arm crossed across his chest. "It isn't stupid, okay? I won't pry on it, but just know it isn't stupid. And you're not fucking stupid, are you kidding me? You're one of the most intelligent students I have. Stop being so hard on yourself for once, alright? For me?" Tweek opened his mouth to speak, but for once, his anxiety had nothing to say. Sure, his parents speak highly of him and his friends will tell him these things, but the fact he's only known Craig for a month and he already thinks this highly of Tweek made him feel so _good_. He couldn't stop the sobs that escaped his lips, falling forward to bury his face into Craig's shoulder. Tweek let his arms drop to his sides, his chest heaving as he let his emotions finally escape their confinements. It sucked that he had to call the guy that caused his anxiety attack (it's not like Craig meant to, it was Tweek's own doing, after all), but he was thankful for the strong arms wrapped around him right now. _Oh_. In his state of distress, Tweek barely registered Craig wrapping his arms around him, the pressure of his arms across his back soothing to the blonde. Closing his eyes, Tweek slowly brought his hands up and gripped at Craig's back, just needing to ground himself and realize that he is, indeed, _okay_.

"'m-m sorry. This is probably n-not how you want to spend your Friday night…" His words were muffled by the fabric of Craig's shirt, but the man still laughed.

"I wouldn't have been able to enjoy my Friday night if I would've known you were this distraught over something." Tweek squeezed his eyes shut a little tighter, the words so meaningful yet so confusing to him. _Does he like me? He's so fucking flirty all the time. I can't tell if it's just his personality or because of_ _ **me**_. Tweek let out a sigh as he pulled away, taking a step back to indicate he was finally okay.

"That seems like a-an overstatement." He chuckled, smiling weakly.

"I mean it," Craig said, leaning back against his car. "I felt so grateful when you called me. It felt good knowing you trusted me enough that you felt comfortable confiding in me like that," He explained, and Tweek just nodded. Craig chuckled, nodding his head backwards. "Get in."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on," He hopped over the side of his door into the driver's seat. "You need to stay outside, enjoy the last bit of summer we have before autumn arrives next week," Tweek was hesitant, but knew he was right. Sighing, Tweek walked around the front of the car and got into the passenger's seat, blinking when Craig held something out to him. "Here, put this on."

"What is it?"

"Sweatshirt. You're gonna want it, it's gets chilly when you ride with the top down." Craig explained, Tweek laughing softly as he tugged it over his head. Looking down, he smiled a bit as he noticed it was a very beat up NASA sweatshirt.

"Why are you riding with the top down then?"

"Like I said, kid, we gotta enjoy the last bit of summer while we can."

* * *

Smoke. The sweatshirt smelt like cigarette smoke, but it smelt like Craig, and that made Tweek feel calm in the car. He kept his head tilted back to look at the sky, a small smile on his face as his eyes followed the colors dancing across the sky from the setting sun. With half lidded eyes, Tweek stole a glance over at Craig, admiring the way he carried himself. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cigarette, Craig looked just as perfect to Tweek as every other time. He wore a white dress shirt that was rolled up to his elbows, choosing to pair it with a black tie, black jeans and his red Converse. It was the most elegant thing in Tweek's opinion. He felt his cheeks heat up as he let his mind wander, noticing how tight the shirt was on his arms and chest. _Focus, Tweek, you can't let your mind go too far away_ _from reality_.

"You're awfully quiet, kid." Tweek blinked as he heard Craig talk, turning his head fully to look at him.

"Just…thinking."

"That can be dangerous." He chuckled, inhaling from his cigarette.

"Can I…have a puff?" Tweek asked, Craig raising an eyebrow.

"You don't smoke."

"Sometimes after a panic attack I smoke one to help me mellow out." He explained, Craig humming as he held the cigarette out to him. Tweek took it between his fingers, looking at the passing scenery as he inhaled. It burned like hell, but it reminded him that he was still intact. It isn't the end of the world. He's okay. As he exhaled, he held it back out to Craig, closing his eyes once it left his fingers.

"You sure you're okay, Tweek?"

"I will be…slowly but surely, I will be." He said, turning his head to look at Craig with an assuring smile. The raven haired man chuckled, turning into a parking lot.

"Hope you're hungry."

"You're not buying me food again."

"Yes I am, kid, no ifs, ands, or buts about it." Tweek opened his mouth to protest, but snickered when Craig slammed his hand over his mouth. Tweek laughed under his hand, rolling his eyes as he pushed it away.

"You can be really dramatic, you know."

"It's the grandpa in me." Craig teased, getting out of the car. Tweek followed, blushing a bit as he stood. Even though he was six two, Craig's sweatshirt was still a little too big for him. He didn't mind it. It felt like a security blanket to him. Looking up, Tweek smiled as they were at a diner, following Craig inside. They sat at a booth by the window, menus already on the table. It was a small diner, and it wasn't very busy despite it being dinner time, but the neon lights and checkered walls were enough to make this trip worth it. That, and the fact he was sitting across from his professor that he had a crush on. Tweek couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face as he saw Craig had already put his glasses on.

"You love playing the grandpa role, don't you?"

"I'm milking it for all I've got." Tweek pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his shins against the table as he flipped through the menu.

"Have you been here before?"

"My friends and I come here at two am sometimes after we've been at the bar. We're always hungry, and this place is open twenty four hours, so it's like it was made for us."

"What do you recommend?"

"You can't go wrong with a burger and fries."

"Burger and fries with a milkshake?" Tweek lowered the menu to look at Craig. He was smirking at him, his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth.

"Now you're thinking, kid." Once the waitress came over, they both decided on the exact order Tweek mentioned. As she walked away, Tweek leaned his head against the window, playing with the frayed ends of Craig's sleeve on his sweatshirt.

"Why'd you bring me here? I thought you're normally at the bar on Fridays." He asked, Craig leaning back in his seat with a chuckle.

"Diner food is like comfort food for me, so I thought maybe it would be comforting to you. Plus, I couldn't just leave you after a panic attack. That goes against everything I stand for." He said, picking up the straw by their utensils and twirling it between his fingers. Tweek watched him twirl it, humming.

"Alright. I have a game for you." Craig raised his eyebrow, an amused smirk on his face.

"You've got my attention."

"Two truths and a lie. So we can learn a little more about each other." Tweek suggested. Craig thought a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

"Why the hell not, kid. You're first, though."

"Fine," Tweek thought a moment. "Okay. I used to box, my name isn't really Tweek, and I did musicals in high school." Tweek grinned as Craig pondered over the suggestions, the straw still dancing between his fingers.

"Boxing. That's your lie."

"Nope!"

" _What_?! How is it not?! What's the lie?!"

"My name! My name is actually Tweek!" He laughed.

"You're shitting me. You used to box and do musicals?"

"Well, I was so skinny growing up, that I wanted to try and get muscular in a way that didn't involve going to the gym. My dad had suggested boxing, and I wasn't opposed to the idea since I could learn to defend myself as well. I stopped boxing in eighth grade because school was starting to become too difficult for me at the time, so I replaced it with musicals in high school."

"No kidding. Did you ever get any parts?"

"Each year. There weren't a lot of guys that consistently did musicals, so I was always casted. Perks of being the only gay male in your high school." He teased, Craig chuckling.

"Alright," He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "My first concert ever was Jon Bon Jovi, I was in marching band in high school, and I used to sell pot in college." Tweek sucked in a breath through his teeth as he thought, humming.

"I don't think you sold pot." Craig raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"Wrong."

"Craig Tucker, you didn't!" Tweek laughed, dropping his legs down and leaning onto the table.

"I was lazy and didn't feel like finding an actual job!"

"So what's the lie?"

"My first concert. My first concert was a Def Leppard concert in the late nineties."

"Oh my god, so you were a band weenie?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing, kid." Craig chuckled, leaning back as the waitress came over with their food. She returned a moment later with their milkshakes. Tweek picked up a fry and scooped some of the milkshake onto it.

"What did you play?"

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet." Tweek blinked, staring at Craig. He narrowed his eyes a bit as he tried to think of what _Craig Tucker_ could've possibly played in marching band. Suddenly, the past month came rolling back to him, causing Tweek to gasp.

"Drums! You played drums!" He squealed, Craig laughing at his excitement.

"There you go, kid."

"That's why you're always twirling your pencil around!" It all made so much sense now to Tweek, assuming that Craig had just picked up the habit from being bored at work.

"I played the snare. I miss it, to be honest. I always loved playing the drums. After that Def Leppard concert my dad got me a drum set. I was so entranced while watching Rick Allen drum with one arm that I wanted to do it for myself."

"That's right, he lost an arm. Car accident, right?"

"Yup. They call themselves the 'kings of getting on with it'. They're probably one of my favorite bands." Tweek smiled, taking a bite of his burger. They fell silent for a while as they ate, the entire situation feeling… _domestic_ almost to Tweek. Was this a date? It couldn't be, right? Craig was just taking care of him. He was being a nice guy… _right?_ As they finished up their foods and focused on their milkshakes, Tweek spoke again.

"Do you still play drums?"

"Sometimes. Now that I work full time I don't have a lot of time. I have a drum set at my apartment, but whenever I have time to play, it's always past midnight. I'm not that kind of neighbor." He chuckled, sipping at his milkshake.

"How courteous of you." Tweek laughed, leaning back in the seat with his milkshake in hand.

"What about you? You play any instruments?"

"I played piano for a long time. I could still play it if you sat me down in front of one, but it might take me a minute to get used to it." Craig nodded, pushing his now empty glass aside.

"What made you stop?"

"I just…didn't have the time for it anymore. High school was rough because I had a lot of issues with my anxiety, and then on top of that I had colleges to apply to and shifts to work at my parent's coffee shop. It just became…too much." Neither said anything after that, but there as a mutual understanding between them.

* * *

The ride home wasn't as quiet as the ride there, both men singing along with the radio station. Without the warmth of the sun, it was definitely colder riding home, but still a summer night nonetheless. As they pulled into the parking lot of Tweek's apartment complex, the blonde started lifting the sweatshirt over his head.

"Keep it, kid." Tweek blinked, his arms frozen mid motion.

"What?"

"Keep it. I have ten NASA sweatshirts at home. It's time to retire that one, anyways." He chuckled, leaning forward to grab his carton of cigarettes from the little place he kept his spare change.

"I can't let you buy me dinner and then give me your sweatshirt."

"Sure you can," He said around a cigarette, tossing the box back where it was and grabbing his lighter. "Consider it a little parting gift from our adventure together." Tweek felt his cheeks heat up as he let his arms drop, the sound of Craig's lighter making him very aware of the night he just had. He just went out to dinner with his professor. He's wearing his professor's sweatshirt. He's _keeping_ said sweatshirt. He's in his professor's car. He shared a cigarette with his professor. Shaking his head, Tweek ran his hands down his face before getting out of the car. Shutting the door behind him, he looked over his shoulder, smirking a bit.

"Get home safe, _kid_." He said, Craig blinking as he watched the blonde walk away. _Don't look back Tweek, don't fucking look back. You looked so fucking_ _ **cool**_ _! Keep walking!_ Once inside his apartment building, Tweek pressed the elevator button, rocking on his feet as he waited. Once the doors opened, he pressed his floor and looked ahead, blinking as Craig was still sitting there in the parking spot. Even through the glass of the door, he could see the smirk on Craig's face. The doors of the elevator started closing, Tweek's stomach flipping as Craig's blue eye closed, his brown eye burning into him even after the elevator doors shut. Tweek leaned against the back of the elevator, gripping the railing until his knuckles turned white. _He winked at you_. A grin slowly crawled across his face, his hands flying from the bar to hide his red face. A laugh bubbled out of him as he ran his hands into his hair, grinning as the movement wafted the familiar scent of cigarette smoke up into his nose. Dropping his hands from his hair, he tugged the neckline of the sweatshirt up to cover his nose, inhaling deeply as cigarette smoke filled his nose. Grinning under the fabric, Tweek couldn't stop the giggle that escaped his lips. _You're so head over heels for him._

* * *

Tossing his keys into the little dish by his door, Craig shut the door behind him, leaning against it with a sigh. He let his messenger bag slide off his shoulder onto the floor as he walked through the apartment to his bedroom. Kicking his shoes off, he started undressing himself, his mind racing. He kept replaying the events that happened tonight over and over again, a certain blonde's face unable to leave his mind. After tugging on a pair of sweatpants, Craig walked out onto the little balcony he had that was off his living room, running his hands through his hair. He needed to call someone. Craig turned, leaning his hips against the railing of the balcony as he held his phone up to his ear after dialing a number. After a few rings, he closed his eyes as he heard her voice.

" _It's a little late for a phone call to your mother, don't you think_?" Laura Tucker chuckled.

"I really need to talk to you." Was all Craig said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to figure out exactly what to say.

" _Uh oh. Is everything okay? Are you hurt? Is Clyde hurt? Token? Jimmy?"_

"Everyone's fine. I just…have _a question_ …but it's a loaded question."

" _I can assure you, you've more than likely asked me worse loaded questions than the one you're about to ask me_. _What's on your mind, my handsome man?"_ Craig opened his eyes slowly, turning to look out at the scenery. He could just make out the university from where his apartment was. Gripping the railing, he swallowed hard, letting out a sigh.

"How do I tell one of my students I love absolutely everything about him?"

* * *

 **NOTE:** I'm really dragging this one out, can you tell? ;) Also, I love the messages you all send me on tumblr/comments on here about how thirsty you are for my Craig. This was my plan all along, and I am happy to see it worked! Keep thirsting, my loves! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	5. Lesson 5: A Helping Hand

When Tweek arrived home from work on that following Monday, he was surprised to see that there were four people sitting in his living room instead of the usual three. Bebe Stevens was over, more than likely coming over to do some homework with Wendy. Shutting the door behind him, Tweek gave a tired smile to them as he passed to go get changed out of his work uniform. He quickly discarded the uncomfortable polo and traded it for the smoke filled NASA sweatshirt sitting on his desk chair. He couldn't stop the smile that spread on his lips as he pulled it over his head, the faint smell of whatever cologne Craig uses mixed in with the smoke. Pairing it with a pair of gray sweatpants, Tweek shuffled back out to join the group in the living room. Stan and Kyle were busy playing MarioKart on the floor, yelling nonsense at each other while Wendy and Bebe chatted idly on the couch. Tweek sat in the recliner, tugging his knees up to his chest and looking at Wendy as he heard her voice.

"When did you get that sweatshirt? I've never seen you wear it." She asked, Bebe turning to face Tweek as well. In an instant, that flushed feeling returned to Tweek's face like it has so many times this past month. He cleared his throat, index finger drawing shapes on top of his knee.

"I, um…got it from Craig." Tweek felt the tips of his ears heat up as Stan paused the game, both boys slowly turning to look at him.

"You _what_?!" They all said at the same time, causing Tweek to jump.

" _Jesus_ , let's _not_ do that!" He hissed, tugging at his sweatpants.

"Tweek, what do you mean _Craig_ gave you a sweatshirt?" Bebe asked, eyes full of curiosity.

"I, well, I had a, um, panic attack on Friday and-and no one as home at the time. He-he had told me earlier in the month to, um, call or text whenever I have a panic attack, and since I'm registered with the disabilities office, he got the records because he-he's our professor. So, I called him, and-and he came to the complex and-"

"Wait, he _came here_?" Kyle asked, eyes widening slightly.

"Um…yeah, he just…talked to me while he was coming here, I guess. He coaxed me through everything until he could get here and just…tried to distract me from my self-deprecating thoughts. He told me to go outside and-and he was there waiting."

"So…how did you get his sweatshirt?" Stan questioned. Tweek swallowed hard.

"I, uh…he took me out for…food. He-he drives an older car. Convertible. The top was down and he said it gets-gets chilly when you drive with the top down at night, so he let me wear it and then when I tried to give it back to him at the end of the night, he told me to keep it."

" _You went out to dinner with him?!"_ Bebe practically screamed, Wendy grabbing her as she almost tumbled over the side of the couch. Tweek opened his mouth to speak, but found he had run out of explanations. He suddenly found himself grinning, hands covering his face as he let out a laugh.

"Oh my god, I went out to dinner with him." He breathed out, the whole thing still so surreal to the blonde. Wendy and Bebe both screamed, stumbling off the couch to kneel in front of the recliner.

"Okay, I'm a little disappointed he isn't straight, but we still have an in to know if he's good in bed!" Bebe squealed, Tweek lowering his hands to show his wide eyes.

"Bebe, oh my god!" He whined, though he wouldn't lie and say he _hasn't_ thought about Craig like that…who wouldn't?

"Well, what have you learned about him?! I'm sure you two didn't just sit there in silence at dinner!" Wendy asked, Kyle and Stan listening in, too, their game long abandoned. Tweek blushed more at all the attention, but he _was_ dying to talk about all he knew about Craig to someone. He's meant to talk to Wendy about it, but he's been so busy this past week, he hasn't found the time to do so.

"He, um, was in marching band in high school."

" _Shut up!_ You're lying!" Kyle laughed, falling backwards onto his back.

"I'm not! He played snare drum! He actually plays the drums in his free time when he can."

" _That's_ why the dude is always twirling his fucking pencil around!" Stan groaned, all of them having looks of realization cross their face.

"That's how I figured it out! He was twirling his straw around at the diner! He wanted to play after seeing Def Leppard in the late nineties, saying he was inspired after seeing the drummer play with one arm. So, his dad got him a drum set. Oh! He used to sell pot in college!"

"No he fucking _didn't_!" Wendy gasped, a grin on her face.

"It's true! Said he was too lazy to find a real job, so he sold pot."

"Honestly, no wonder the guy minored in economics. He had a small business." Stan laughed, Tweek letting out a laugh as well.

"What else do you know?!" Bebe said.

"His sister is currently six months pregnant." Wendy and Bebe gasped.

"He's gonna be an _uncle?!"_ They asked together, Tweek grinning.

"Craig's so excited. It's a little girl, and his face gets so bright when he talks about her. He thinks the world of his sister."

"I'm going to fucking pass out, he's too fucking cute." Bebe breathed out, lying down on the floor with her hand over her heart as she let out a fake cry. Wendy snorted, looking at her before looking back up at Tweek.

"What else?" Tweek thought a moment, biting his lip.

"He, um…had a cancer scare." Everyone blinked, Bebe slowly sitting back up.

"Whoa, what?" Stan asked, eyebrows furrowed. Tweek shifted in the recliner.

"He smokes, so about four years ago when he started having chest pains by his heart, he went to check it out because of his smoking and family health history on his dad's side. They X-rayed his chest and there as a tumor in the muscles by his heart. They got it out, but for four weeks he didn't know if it was cancerous or not. Thankfully, it was benign, but after that he went and travelled Europe for about three months before coming back home and applying for full time jobs. He's trying to quit smoking because he's afraid of developing lung cancer at this point, but he's been smoking for almost ten years, so it's a slow process," Tweek explained, everyone nodding slowly as they listened. "Oh, um, don't mention any of this to, uh, anyone because I don't want him to hate me? I-I don't know if I should've said all this, oh god."

"Tweek, it's okay, you can trust us, sweetie." Wendy cooed, resting her hand on his knee. She could see the anxiety and panic cross his eyes. Tweek slowly nodded, sighing as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"I need to sleep, I'm so tired." He breathed out, Bebe chuckling.

"Go on, cutie. Go get some sleep." Tweek nodded at her, standing slowly. After bidding everyone goodnight, Tweek laid in bed, headphones on as he listened to some music as he stared at the ceiling. He smiled to himself as he nuzzled his face into the fabric of the sweatshirt, the thick smell of smoke and cologne lulling him to sleep.

* * *

It was the first thing Tweek saw on his phone when he woke up. After stopping his alarm, he noticed he had a notification on the email icon. Opening the app, he blinked as he noticed it was an email from Craig. He had to cover his mouth to stop himself from laughing as he read the subject line. _Cancle clsa._ Rolling out of bed, Tweek walked out into the living room, Wendy and Kyle already on the couch with their hands over their mouths as they giggled.

"Tweek, have you read his fucking email yet?" Kyle said between giggles, Stan bursting out of his room in a fit of laughter. Tweek shook his head, a grin on his face as he started reading.

 _Hi,_

 _I'm fckn drunk and cat type. Fckn dot come tp class. I am dnyign. evyrthing is sping. okk. soomches to u all. yo'ure all cool kityt cats._

 _-woh am I evne_

Bebe came out of Wendy's room, blinking as she noticed everyone laughing hysterically.

"What the fuck happened?" She asked between soft laughs. Wendy held her phone out to her, Bebe snickering as she read the email.

"He got fucking drunk on a Monday?!" She cackled, grabbing onto the edge of the counter top to keep herself upright. Tweek giggled a bit to himself as he bit his lip, grinning as he shot Craig a quick text.

 _Your email is complete garbage._

He went to the fridge to get himself something to eat, sitting next to Wendy after deciding on a breakfast shake. He blushed as he felt his phone buzz, Wendy blinking.

"You texted him." Tweek smiled a bit, shrugging.

"Maybe…" Bebe rushed over, squeezing between Kyle and Wendy.

"What did he say?!" Tweek grinned as he looked at the message.

 **Plse callll me I ca'nt tpe**

Tweek giggled into his hand, showing it to the girls. They both burst into laughter as they read it, Stan and Kyle leaning over to read it.

"Dude, what the fuck did he do last night to get so hammered?!" Stan laughed, Tweek holding a finger out to them to shut them up as he pressed the phone to his ear. After the fourth ring, he slammed his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

" _Don't fucking make fun of me."_ Craig's words were so slurred, Tweek could barely understand him.

"What the fuck did you do?"

" _It's-it was Clyde's birthday, and we-"_ Tweek bit his lip to stop the smile on his face as he heard Craig hiccup. " _We might've gone overboard."_

"What was your first indication?"

" _Please kill me. I'm dying, Tweek_."

"Would you prefer quick and easy or slow and painful?"

" _I'm already in pain don't-don't make it slow. Shoot me. I'm done for_."

"Look who's being dramatic now…do you need coffee?"

" _YES! Oh god, please. Please help me. I-"_ He paused, Tweek hearing a voice he didn't recognize. He couldn't make out what they were saying. " _Clyde, don't fucking-CLYDE! Oh god, Clyde's army crawling to the bathroom. I gotta go. Um…hold on, talk to my friend Token."_ Tweek blinked, looking up at his friends with wide eyes. When he saw Bebe open her mouth, he held his hand up, pursing his lips as he heard another unfamiliar voice.

" _Is this…Tweek?"_

 _"_ This is he."

" _Hi, uh, I'm Token. Craig's friend. Or, in this case, the one who is most sober. Uh, Craig wanted me to ask if you could bring your coffee over? I can always come pick it up if you have another class today."_

 _"_ No, I'm free all day. Craig's class is my only class."

" _Okay, cool. I'll, uh, text his address to you. Just…come when you can. Fair warning, it's a mess here."_ Tweek's heart started thumping in his chest, nodding his head, fully aware Token couldn't see it.

"Yeah-yeah sounds good! I'll, uh, see you soon." Slowly lowering the phone, Tweek furrowed his brows as he ended the call, all of them looking at him with wide eyes.

" _Well?"_ Wendy asked.

"He, uh, I guess it was his friend's birthday last night and they partied a little too hard. And…now I'm going over to his house to bring him coffee?" They all blinked, Bebe reaching out and grabbing his shoulders.

"You're fucking kidding me." She said slowly, voice dropping to a low growl. Tweek blinked at the tone, but grinned slowly.

"No." Stan whistled low.

"Tweek, you're gonna sleep with this dude, I swear." He chuckled, Tweek's face turning as red as Stan's sleep shirt.

" _Stan!_ " He hissed, but Wendy nodded.

"Tweek, he so clearly has a thing for you."

"Maybe he's just being nice, alright?"

"You're wearing his sweatshirt." Kyle added, Tweek blushing more as he realized he, indeed, was still wearing Craig's sweatshirt. Letting out a sigh, Tweek stood up and turned on his coffee maker, looking over his shoulder.

"Do you girls want to come with me?" He asked, shifting on his feet.

"Do you think we could?" Bebe asked, her interest peaked.

"I-I don't know, but-but I can't go alone."

"You said his friends were there, right?" Wendy said.

"I don't know these _men_! I mean, the one I talked to sounded nice, but I-I can't go to _our professor's apartment_ by myself." Wendy and Bebe shared a look.

"Maybe we could pick some stuff up along the way. Some good old fashion hangover comfort items." Wendy suggested, and Tweek smiled a bit.

"That…I think they'd appreciate that," He looked down at his phone as it buzzed. It was from Craig, but the typing was too orderly for it to be from him. _His friend._ Humming as he read the address, he looked up at the girls. "Guess we're leaving as soon as this coffee's brewed."

* * *

Within the hour, the three were pulling into the parking lot of their macroeconomics professor's apartment complex. It was a cute little place about a half hour away from the university. They stopped at a drug store along the way to pick up some cold bottles of water, ibuprofen, and cranberry and orange juice (so they had choices). Once they got out of Tweek's car, Wendy gave his hand a squeeze, noticing how tense he was.

"Breathe, Tweek." The blonde let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, looking over at his friend.

"T-Thanks." He whispered, approaching the door. He scanned the buzzers, Bebe pointing to one.

"C. Tucker, right?" She said, pressing the buzzer before Tweek could even answer. After a moment a voice came over the intercom.

" _Yeah_?"

"H-Hi, uh, it's Tweek."

" _Oh! Hey, it's Token. Sixth floor, apartment 6B_." The door next to them buzzed, Wendy tugging it open and letting the two blondes walk in first. Tweek took a look around, his face heating up as he realized _where he was_. He watched as Bebe pressed the elevator button, Tweek shifting his bag of hangover relievers from hand to hand.

"You alright over there?" Bebe asked, Tweek letting out a shaky breath.

"I just…this is _weird_." He admitted. Sure, he was excited to see Craig's place, but he was hoping it would be under… _different circumstances_.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. We're here if you need anything. Remember that." Bebe said, Tweek nodding as they stepped onto the elevator. Wendy pressed the sixth floor, the three remaining quiet on the ride up. Once on the appropriate floor, they looked both ways on the floor to see the direction of the alphabet. The first door to their left was F, and it went up towards A from there. They followed the doors until they stood in front of 6B, Tweek sighing as he reached out and knocked. He could hear faint music coming from the apartment, all three of them blinking as a tall, handsome, and kind faced black man answered the door.

"Hey! You're…Tweek?"

"Uh, yeah! That's me. I'm sorry, I brought a few friends along. They're also Craig's students. I needed some help carrying these bags. We brought some hangover relievers." He said with a nervous smile, the man laughing softly.

"I'm Token. We spoke on the phone." He stuck his hand out, Tweek shaking his hand.

"A pleasure."

"I'm Wendy!"

"I'm Bebe!" Tweek jumped a bit as something rushed out the door, jumping up onto Bebe. He grinned slowly as he realized it was just a fluffy white dog, Bebe gasping.

"Oh my god, and who are _you?!_ " She cooed, ruffling the dogs fur and accepting its kisses. Token grinned.

"Oh, that's Craig's dog, Venus. She's a sweetie and loves meeting new people." Tweek grinned at the fluffy white dog besides him.

"Oh my _god_ , she's precious! What kind of dog is she?!" Wendy squealed, kneeling down to pet the ball of energy.

"Samoyed, I believe." Token said, Tweek jumping as there was a crash from inside the apartment. Token whipped his head around, cursing under his breath.

" _Shit_ , Clyde! Fuck-here, come on in. C'mere, Venus!" Venus looked up as she heard her name, following Token into the apartment. Wendy and Bebe both stood, following him inside. Tweek shut the door behind him, scrunching his nose at the overwhelming smell of alcohol. He took a moment to just breathe, realizing he was _in Craig's apartment_. It was relatively clean despite the living and kitchen area being destroyed from whatever they got into last night, his chest swelling as he noticed family pictures. There was one of Craig and a red haired girl, the girl wearing a beautiful wedding dress while Craig looked as dashing as ever in a tux. She was on his back, one arm wrapped around his neck and the other thrusting her bouquet into the air. Craig was clearly mid laugh, the girl as well. _His sister_. Tweek whipped his head around as he heard Token's voice again. "Clyde, knock it off, it's time to stop drinking!" Tweek couldn't help the amused smirk on his face as he watched Token wrestle a bottle of Fireball, who he could only assume was Clyde, away from him.

"It's my _birthday_!" The brunette slurred, face smushed into the area rug in Craig's living room.

"Your b-birthday was-was _yesterday_." A man on crutches came wandering out from the hallway, Tweek smiling a bit at him as he maneuvered around the two bodies on the floor. _Oh_. As Tweek moved further into the apartment, he realized that Craig was also on the floor, his face smushed into the rug in a similar manner as Clyde's. Wendy chuckled, tilting her head to the side to try and look at Craig's face.

"Hi Professor Tucker!" She giggled, Bebe giggling as well besides her. Slowly but surely, Craig lifted his head up. His hair was a tousled mess and his eyes were half lidded, glossed over from his drunken haze. Tweek covered his mouth to stop from laughing as he saw his eyes squinting and try to open, but with little success. Finally, after a moment, he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head to try and wake himself up.

"Hey-uh-Wendy…Bebe." He slurred, immediately dropping his head back to the floor after he got what he needed to say out. Tweek snorted, walking over slowly and sitting on the floor next to Craig. He grabbed the thermos of coffee from his bag, slowly opening it and letting the scent fill the air. Tweek chuckled as he heard soft sniffing coming from the man half asleep next to him, Craig's head slowly turning to face Tweek. He looked up with those impossibly perfect eyes, nothing but exhaustion in them.

"Rough night?" Craig snorted, grunting as he slowly pushed himself up. He paused once he was on all fours, grunting once more as he finished pushing himself up into a sitting position next to Tweek. The blonde could feel the heat coming off of him, the smell of tequila, too.

"I'm so drunk." He grumbled, leaning his head on top of his knees as he pulled his legs up to his chest. Tweek smiled a bit, holding out the thermos.

"Splash of cream. Just how you like it." He murmured, Craig smirking a bit. Slowly reaching a hand out, he accepted the thermos, taking a few long gulps from it. He sighed after pulling the thermos away from his lips, leaning his head back against the couch and closing his eyes.

"Thanks, kid." He mumbled back, a small smile on his lips. Tweek jumped as Clyde gasped suddenly next to him, pushing himself over onto his back and looking at Craig.

"Craig! It's _our song_!" He practically sobbed, the raven haired man next to him letting out a soft giggle. _Wait_. Tweek blinked as he realized Craig actually _giggled_ next to him, putting the cap on the thermos. He set it aside, moving to stand. When he realized that was not an option, he grunted as he laid back down on the floor, slowly making his way over to Clyde. Tweek let out a laugh at the sight, covering his mouth with his hand as he watched. The song was _Edge of Seventeen_ by Stevie Nicks, Tweek looking up at Wendy and Bebe in awe as the two men attempted to sing the song, but with little success. They ended up lying on their stomachs, looking at each other and mumbling what Tweek assumed was supposed to be the lyrics. Standing up, Tweek stood next to his two friends, Token looking up from his cleaning of the kitchen.

"They do this sometimes."

"What, get totally and utterly shit faced?" Bebe laughed, turning to look at him. Token laughed.

"Well, yes. But they've been friends since they were ten. They sometimes get super competitive. So, Craig told Clyde he didn't think he could drink six shots of tequila, and so he did it. And then Clyde said Craig couldn't drink _seven_ shots of tequila, and so he did. They do this at least once and month and it always ends like this. Thanks so much for coming over. As he handed me the phone he kept whispering, "mention the coffee, mention the coffee". He told me about your little arrangement." Tweek blushed, smiling a bit. He moved around behind the counter to help pick up beer cans and empty liquor bottles.

"It was no problem! Craig's a good professor. I got a little worried due to the atrocity that was his email he sent out to cancel class." Token chuckled, glancing up at Tweek. Wendy and Bebe had moved to start cleaning up the living room.

"He talked about you a lot last night." Tweek stopped, eyes widening as he looked at Token.

"Um…he did?"

"Yeah. Talked about you for a while, actually." _Oh dear god_.

"I hope it was all good things." He teased, trying to stop his racing thoughts.

"Of course! I don't think Craig could say anything mean spirited about you." The sincerity in Token's voice made his head spin. _Oh my god. Oh my god, he talked about me_ _ **to his friends**_. The man on crutches came walking over, sitting at the island.

"He-he c-c-couldn't shut the f-fuck up." He chuckled, Tweek laughing a bit.

"I-I'm-"

"T-T-Tweek. I know, thanks t-t-to grandpa o-over there. I-I'm Jimmy." He said, shooting him a small smile. Tweek smiled back, glancing over at Clyde and Craig on the floor.

"Should we get them some water?"

"That's probably a good idea." Token said, tying off the trash bag filled with beer cans and empty bottles.

"There's some in the bags we brought. We also have juice and ibuprofen." Tweek said as he walked over to grab the bag off the floor where he was previously sitting. He yelped as he felt a hand wrap around his ankle, looking down to see a very tired looking Craig smiling lazily up at him.

"I finally figured it out." He slurred, Tweek chuckling as he bent over, still able to reach the bag despite being held in place.

"Figured what out, Craig?" He asked, rummaging through the bag for a water. He passed one down to Clyde, who mumbled what Tweek guessed was a thank you, and then handed one to Craig.

"What color your eyes are." Tweek blinked, feeling his cheeks heat up as Wendy stopped her cleaning nearby.

"Oh, uh, what-w-what color are they?" He choked out, the room spinning. Craig pressed the cool water to his cheek, his eyes fluttering shut as he hummed.

"You know when you walk through the forest on a cloudy day, and you can smell rain in the distance, but there's a little bit of fog in the air, and the fog makes the trees seem so much greener than they actually are? That's what color your eyes are. Trees on a foggy day," He mumbled, a grin crawling across his face as he babbled on. "It's a good color. Comforting. It reminds me of home. I feel at home in your eyes. So cozy, so inviting. They're great." Craig hummed thoughtfully, Tweek's eyes wide as he tried to process everything that was just said to him. Swallowing hard, he managed to smile a bit, although he was finding it very hard to breathe.

"T-that's a, uh, very thoughtful analysis." He stammered out, Craig's warm hand letting his ankle go as he finally opened his water to take a long drink of it.

"Stop being a creep, grandpa." Clyde mumbled next to him, his leg kicking out to kick Craig. He missed by a long shot, his leg kicking more into the air than anything.

"'m not being creepy, I'm just telling my friend the truth!" He whined, wincing as the sound of his own voice made his head throb. "Oh _god_ , my fucking head." He grumbled, Venus wandering over and lying down by Craig's head. Tweek smiled softly as he watched Craig move up a little bit so he was face to face with his dog, wrapping his arms around her and closing his eyes. Taking advantage of the fact Craig was now distracted, he quickly moved across the room to the kitchen, Wendy smiling fondly at him. _She heard him_. Tweek shot her a look, one that screamed " _I don't know what to do now, so please help me"_. She hummed thoughtfully, looking at the clock.

"I hate to be a downer, but I have to head back to campus soon. I have class at three thirty." Tweek silently thanked her with a smile. It's not that he didn't want to be at Craig's apartment, he really didn't mind it. He was just going to _explode_ after Craig's comment about his eyes if he didn't leave the apartment soon. Token chuckled, removing the rest of the contents in the bags they brought.

"Well, I thank you for entertaining Craig over there. He really cares about his students and I'm sure it means a lot to him to know his students care a lot about him. Even…even if it doesn't quite seem like it right now." He chuckled, nodding his head towards him. The three students turned, laughing as their professor was now officially passed out with his face buried into his dog's fur. The sight made Tweek's stomach flutter with butterflies. Bebe turned back to Token.

"It was no problem! It was quite entertaining, to be quite honest." Clyde looked up from the floor.

"Blondie." Tweek and Bebe turned.

"Which one?" Tweek chuckled.

"Girly." Bebe blinked, feeling her cheeks flush.

"It's Bebe." Clyde hummed, leaning his cheek against his hand.

"How old are you?" He slurred, Bebe staring at him.

"I'm twenty one. Why?"

"Clyde!" Token scolded, shooting him a look, but Clyde waved a dismissive hand towards him.

"You're pretty cute." He chuckled, Bebe grinning slowly. Her hand instinctively went to her hair, twirling it around her finger.

"Oh! Well…thank you." She giggled, Tweek blinking as he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. _Is he seriously hitting on her right here right now?_

"Can I-" He paused a moment, hiccupping. "Can I get your number?" Token put a hand on Bebe's shoulder.

"You don't have to give it to him. You're not obligated to give him anything. He's being a brat." Bebe laughed, grabbing one of the receipts from the bag and walking over to a desk that Craig had on the other side of the room. She quickly scribbled on the back of the receipt, passing it down to Clyde as she passed him.

"Don't be a stranger, alright?" She purred, Clyde blinking as she walked back over to Wendy and Tweek. He swallowed, laughing softly.

"Sure thing." He breathed out. Clyde must've run out of steam after that, his head dropping back to the floor, snores coming from him within minutes. Token rubbed the back of his neck as he shook his head, sighing.

"Sorry about him. He tends to get real confident when he's drunk. When he's sober, he's a real sweet guy, but has horrible self-esteem when it comes to flirting." Bebe looked over at the man who was now also very asleep on the floor.

"He seems sweet." Was all she said, and she meant all three words.

* * *

The rest of the day was a relative blur for Tweek. He took advantage of his day off to do some homework assignments that weren't due for a few weeks. Normally, he would never do that. However, something in him really wanted to have as much free time as possible these next few weeks. After all, his birthday was just two weeks away. It was around eight thirty when he heard his phone buzzing on his desk. He had just walked back in from a hot shower when he heard it, walking over to his desk and picking up his phone. He felt his stomach lurch with surprise as he saw Craig's name. Accepting the call, he quickly put it on speaker and set the phone on his desk.

"I take it you're feeling better?" There was a soft chuckle.

" _Somewhat."_ Tweek paused as he heard his voice, the alcohol and exhaustion doing _wonders_ on his already deep voice. It stirred something deep inside of Tweek. Swallowing hard, he continued drying off.

"I hope our hangover relievers helped you?"

" _As much as they could, yes. I appreciate it, Tweek."_ The blonde had to pause and suck in a deep breath. _Oh god, he said my fucking name_ _with that voice of his_.

"Good. How's your friend, Clyde?"

" _He's still asleep. Token and Jimmy left around five. Once I let them out I fell back asleep for a little while longer,"_ There was a pause. " _Did I…say anything stupid while you were over, kid?"_ Tweek tugged on his boxers, licking his lips as he thought back to what Craig said to him: _You know when you walk through the forest on a cloudy day, and you can smell rain in the distance, but there's a little bit of fog in the air, and the fog makes the trees seem so much greener than they actually are? That's what color your eyes are. Trees on a foggy day_. He smiled.

"No…no, nothing stupid." His voice was softer now, tugging that NASA sweatshirt over his head for the umpteenth time. He picked the phone up, sitting on his bed and leaning against the wall. With legs pulled to his chest and his other arm not holding his phone up wrapped around them, he looked at his phone as Craig spoke.

" _Okay…okay, good…was my…was my email really_ _ **that**_ _bad?"_ Tweek snorted, closing his eyes.

"It was barely legible." He said, Craig chuckling.

" _I'm sure Token filled you in about my relationship with Clyde."_

"How you've been best friends since you were ten and are super competitive with each other?"

" _Yeah_ ," He laughed softly. " _Yeah, that's it."_ A silence fell between them, but it wasn't awkward. It was a comfortable silence, the kind of silence that is almost relaxing to Tweek.

"Craig?" Tweek eventually whispered, taking the phone off speaker and holding it to his ear.

" _What's up, kid?"_ Tweek swallowed hard once he heard that pet name.

"You…did say _one_ thing to me today." Craig hummed.

" _And what was that_?" Tweek noticed his voice had fallen almost to a whisper as well. He reached out and turned his lamp off, crawling into bed and sighing as he smelt the cigarette smoke and cologne once more.

"You talked about my eyes."

" _Tell me about it_." Tweek let out a shaky breath, shifting slightly as he felt a warm sensation in his lower abdomen. _Knock it off, you fucking asshole, you're making me horny with this voice_.

"You…you told me my eyes were like trees on a foggy day. That they were comforting. You felt at _home_ in my eyes." He whispered, said green eyes fluttering shut as he listened to the soft breathing of his professor on the other line.

" _I know I said that_ ," Tweek could hear Craig swallow. " _I meant every word_." Now it was Tweek who swallowed hard, biting down on his lower lip.

"Why? Why _me_?" He couldn't stop the words from flowing out of his mouth. The question has been haunting Tweek since they first met, and he just couldn't stop himself from asking it any longer. It was quiet for a while, but finally, Craig spoke.

" _I've never met anybody like you, kid. You're something special, a force to be reckoned with. You might not see it, but I do. I might not be that much older than you, but I know someone special when I see them. I know special. My sister is special. Clyde is special. Token, Jimmy, hell, Kyle is special. But they're not the same special that you are. They are their own kind of special. But you? You're something totally different, something I can't fucking explain. You drive me fucking crazy, kid. I can't quite figure you out, and that drives me crazy, but I also like that about you."_ Tweek's breathing was shaky at this point, fingers curling against his thigh as he resisted every urge in his body that was _screaming_ at him to touch himself.

"I'm just a twenty year old college kid who barely has his life put together, a business major, suffers from anxiety and-and panic attacks, and I work at the worst coffee shop on campus. What's so special about that?" Tweek buried his face more into the pillow as Craig chuckled low in his throat, the sound vibrating through him.

" _You heard me, kid. You heard what I said. Don't play fucking dumb with me."_ It took all of his power to keep from whining, the dominant tone in Craig's voice starting to become too much for him. He opened his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh.

"…what are we doing?" Tweek sat up in bed, looking towards the foot of his bed. A cool breeze came in through his open window, refreshing to his flushed skin.

" _What do you mean_?"

"You _know_ what I mean. What are we doing, you and I? This…this isn't how students and professor normally act with each other, Craig. You don't act like this with anyone else." Tweek hissed between his teeth, licking his lips. His mouth felt too dry. His heart thumped hard against his chest as he heard Craig speak. Tweek's eyes rolled back slightly as he slammed a hand over his mouth to stop himself from whimpering, Craig's voice practically a growl in his ear.

" _…You know damn well what I'm doing, kid."_

* * *

 **NOTE:** It's past 4 am for me and I have been looking forward to writing this all day. I was super busy during the day, so I couldn't write until tonight, but man, I am so happy with how this fucking chapter came out. Hope you all enjoyed it, too ;) I hope you all realize I'm trying to release your inner daddy kinks, because this is my favorite kink, and I want ya'll to bask in your thirst for "daddy Craig", as ya'll have started calling him. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	6. Lesson 6: Responsible Alcohol Intake

**NOTE:** Hello everyone! From now on, this story will be talking about/mentioning some words/kinks/situations/etc. that might be triggering to some people. If you see three bolded words in a row (there are sections in this chapter that are bolded, but they are text messages, not the warning! I can tell you now, the bolded words are closer to the end!) that means there is a potentially triggering word in that section! When you skip ahead and see another set of three bolded words in a row, that is the end of the usage of that word/kink. If you have any concerns, please feel free to comment, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can message me on my tumblr! Hope you understand, and happy/safe reading!-Summer

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crowded-skies

* * *

Two weeks.

Two weeks since Tweek last really talked to Craig.

After that night on the phone, Tweek decided he needed to space himself from Craig outside of class. Not because he was no longer interested, but because he was a walking, ticking time bomb. Tweek hasn't had sex since finals week of the spring semester with some random guy he found on Tinder (when he actually tried that app), so he was horny, to say the least. It didn't help that his birthday was officially two days away and he wants nothing more than to be pinned against a wall and completely defiled. It was currently Thursday morning, the blonde walking out of his room dressed and ready to go for the day, making sure to look his best, of course. Things have definitely shifted in their relationship, the tension between the two noticeable to everyone Tweek lived with. Even Stan, who normally doesn't meddle when it comes to Tweek's sex life, was concerned the two had a falling out. After assuring him over and over again that was not the case, Stan eventually nodded his head and left to go meet Wendy. After opening the fridge to grab himself an orange, Tweek started preparing the coffee machine, sleeves of his sweater tugged down to the middle of his palms. It was officially autumn in Colorado, and that meant sweater weather, also known as, Tweek's favorite weather. Wendy was the next to come out, smiling at Tweek as she reached past him to grab a banana out of their fruit bowl.

"Looking cute."

"I try."

"Are things still…you know?" She waved her hands around to symbolize the mess that was Tweek's life right now, the blonde laughing softly.

"Yeah. I just," He sighed as he started peeling his orange, leaning against the sink behind him. "I didn't…really tell you the whole story of what happened…" Wendy blinked.

"What do you mean?" She murmured, being careful that Kyle or Stan didn't overhear.

"Well…," Tweek had told her how Craig told him about how special he was, but he didn't go past that. He couldn't bring that up, at least not at the time. "I…I asked him…ya know, _why me_? Like, I'm just some kid that happened to stumble into his life by accident. I'm a mess! But…here I am, two days from twenty one and _seriously flirting_ with an almost thirty year old man. And that's when he told me all this shit about me being _special_ , or whatever, but…then I asked him…what we're _doing_." Wendy blinked, tossing her banana peel away.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean…what are we _doing_ in the sense that the relationship Craig and I have is not a typical relationship, obviously, that a professor and student have. I also reminded him that he doesn't act like this with _anyone_ else." Tweek swallowed, stopping the process of peeling his orange as he let out a shaky breath.

"What happened, Tweek?" She whispered, Stan walking out from his bedroom. Tweek glanced up, but looked back at Wendy.

"He said, in this tone of voice," He leaned forward, lips by Wendy's ear as he dropped his voice lower and growled out, " _…You know exactly what I'm doing, kid_." Wendy jumped back, her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes widened. Tweek swallowed hard, shooting Stan a weak smile as he continued to peel his orange, taking a bite of it once he finished.

"What are you two talking about?" Stan asked, grabbing an apple from the fridge.

"Boys." Wendy choked out, her eyes still wide as she stared at Tweek. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him, still in shock about Craig's words.

"No fair, you're dating me."

"Not for me, for him." She breathed out, Tweek's face flushed as red as his sweater.

"What…is it…?" Tweek nodded slowly. "You still haven't talked to him?"

"I'm hoping to maybe text him tonight to see if we can talk tomorrow. I don't want to go into my birthday weekend overwhelming myself over this." Stan hummed, smiling softly.

"If you ever need a _dudes_ opinion, just let me know, yeah?" Tweek actually smiled at that, appreciating the sentiment.

"Thanks, Stan." Kyle came out of his room, hand tangled into his red curls as he yawned.

"Hey there, cowboy." Stan chuckled, Kyle shooting him a glare.

"You look rough, man." Tweek laughed, taking another piece of orange.

"I feel rough, but I had a, uh, good night last night. Late night, but good." He said, grabbing an apple from the fridge. Stan grinned around his own apple, a soft giggle escaping his lips. Tweek blinked, knowing damn well Stan only giggles like that when he can't say something.

"Spill it, Marsh."

"Huh?"

"You only do that giggle when you're hiding something." Wendy finished, knowing all about that damn giggle.

"What are you talking about?!" He giggled, Kyle smacking his arm.

"You're no help, man." Kyle said between breathless laughs.

"What's going on?!" Wendy asked, grabbing Kyle's shoulders and shaking them. "Tell us! Keep us involved in your life, Broflovski!" Kyle pried her hands off his shoulders, laughing softly.

"Remember that Heidi girl?" Tweek and Wendy both nodded, Kyle's face flushing a light pink. "I, uh, we needed to work in our group project, but none of the other members could make it last night, so it was just us two in the basement of the library. I, um…kissed…her."

"Kyle! That's great!" Wendy squealed, but Tweek narrowed his eyes.

"Keep going, Kyle, I know there's more to this story." He said, eating his last piece of his orange. Kyle glared at him but smirked.

"We hooked up, alright?! I fucked her in the basement of the library! The encyclopedia section because no one fucking uses encyclopedias anymore!"

" _Shut! Up!"_ Tweek yelled, throwing the paper towel roll at Kyle. It hit his chest with a hard _thud_ , the red head yelping in surprise. Tweek wasn't angry, just _really fucking impressed_ by Kyle's power move.

"It was pretty hot."

"I fucking _bet it was_." Wendy laughed, a grin on her face. They talked about Kyle's sexual escapades on the way to macroeconomics, Stan looking at Tweek before walking in.

"Oh! I meant to say. I think the reason we have our midterm today is because of you, Tweek." Tweek rolled his eyes at him, but he grinned slowly.

"Haha way to blame me, the one who is completely innocent in this situation." _Who are you kidding, Tweek, you've jerked off more times in the past two weeks than you have in the past two months_. Despite the fact Craig and Tweek have been distancing themselves from each other, Tweek kept his promise to bring Craig his coffee. Who was he to deny someone of their coffee? Walking into the classroom, however, was always difficult. When he doesn't see Craig every day, Tweek sometimes forgets how _god damn beautiful_ he really is. Normally, Craig hasn't paid him much mind this past week, but today…today was different. Tweek noticed his eyes burning into him, pencil twirling between his fingers. Tweek's discovered it's a nervous tic he has. Silently sliding the thermos across the desk to him, he picked up a test that sat on the end of the desk and walked to his seat without a word.

* * *

It was thirty minutes into the midterm and the room was so silent that it was actually comforting to Tweek's usually loud mind. Tweek was about half way done the exam when he started hearing it. It was a soft hum from his backpack, realizing that someone messaged him. _Probably grandma wishing me happy birthday a few days early._ But two minutes later, he got another text, and not long after that, he heard the hum again. Looking down at his backpack, Tweek furrowed his brows, but then felt like he was being watched. Slowly, he turned his attention up front, noticing that Craig was staring at him. _What the fuck do you want_? Shaking it off, he turned his attention back to his test. He couldn't ignore the hum from his backpack after that. It went on and on, text after text hitting his phone. Tweek looked back up slowly, noticing that Craig was typing on his phone. Every minute or so, he'd glance back at Tweek, his phone buzzing in his backpack each time he looked up. _It's definitely him_.

Tweek just took a minute to stare at him, Craig eventually staring back after looking up from his phone. His cheeks were flushed, which was unusual for Craig, the tip of his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth as he smirked. His gaze dropped down to Tweek's backpack before returning back to his phone, the buzz coming in moments later. Unable to ignore it any longer, Tweek reached down and tugged his phone out before standing up. He glared at Craig as he walked past, ignoring the amused grin on his face as Tweek left the classroom to go to the bathroom. His phone still continued to buzz in his hand even after he locked himself in the stall. His mind was so frazzled as he tried to find the start of the messages, he didn't notice what any of them said. Finally at the top of where the messages start, Tweek blinked as he read the first message.

 _I bet your skin is warm underneath that sweater. I would love to run my hands up under there and see for myself_.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he continued on.

 _You've looked so good lately. You're really driving me up a damn wall here, kid._

 _I've missed you. I've missed seeing you. I want to see more of you. All of you._

 _I want to hear you make pretty little noises that only I'll hear._

Whimpering softly, Tweek shifted uncomfortable on the toilet seat, arousal flowing through him. He couldn't believe Craig had the _fucking nerve to sext him in the middle of his own damn class_. He reached down, unbuttoning his jeans and sighing as the pressure released from his aching cock. Turning his attention back to his phone, he read on.

 _I have a feeling you're into real kinky shit, kid. Maybe one of these days I'll just have to bend you over this desk while I use my tie I'm wearing to bind your hands behind your back. You'd look so pretty bent over my desk, waiting for me to fuck you._

Tweek craned his neck down to bite the collar of his sweater, taking a mouthful of the fabric to stop any sounds from escaping his mouth as he stroked himself. His eyes fluttering shut as he thought about the very image Craig presented him. _God_ , Wendy was right, it was every college kid's fantasy to get fucked by a professor. Letting his eyes open, he continued.

 _You work so hard. Watching you take this test right now makes me want to take care of you in a way only a man can. I want to show you one memorable night, kid. Hell, why am I saying one? I want to discover what really gets you going. That could take days…weeks…months…even years of fucking you. I think you can handle that. You seem capable of taking a big cock._

A sob was muffled into his sweater as he continued to jerk himself off, legs kicking as the thought of someone really wanting to break him down was such a _turn on_ to him.

 _I want to see you scream._

 _Cry._

 _Moan._

 _I want to turn that pretty pale skin of yours purple and blue from how hard I'm gripping your hips as I fuck you from behind._

 _I want to fucking make your ass red._

 _I want to do so many things to you…so many unspeakable things._

Letting his phone drop from his hand, Tweek whined as he tugged his sweater up off his stomach, whining through his orgasm as he felt the hot cum land on his stomach. After stroking himself through his release, Tweek let his head drop back and the sweater fall from his mouth. Short pants were all he could manage to suck in, but that was okay. He hasn't cum like that in _ages_ , and he was silently thankful to Craig for the messages…but he wouldn't tell him that…not yet at least. With a sigh after somewhat catching his breath, he began the slow process of cleaning himself up with the shitty toilet paper the school stocked the bathrooms with. It took a bit, but he was clean. Pulling his underwear and pants back up, he grabbed his phone off the ground as he stood, walking out from the stall and washing his hands. He was as red as his sweater once more, Tweek sighing as he splashed some cold water up on his face. His eyes were red, too, from holding back tears of sweet release. Looking at himself once more, Tweek took in a deep breath, letting it out to compose himself. Needless to say, it was hard to look at Craig when he walked back in. That shit eating grin on his face was _killing him_. Craig knew. Of course he knew. He had an agenda planned out, and Tweek just checked it off for him. Sitting back down, he had to readjust the gears in his mind back to economics, Wendy shooting him a look. He sent a smile her way, signaling that he was okay, and it was true. Tweek really was okay. He managed to finish his midterm around two o'clock, still one of the first ones to finish despite losing ten minutes to jerk off in the bathroom. He handed it to Craig as he walked out, once again ignoring the smirk that sat on his professors face as he left class for the day.

* * *

Craig's other sections that he taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays already had their midterm, so he cancelled class for them that day. He still sat at his desk, over an hour after the final kid left. Not wanting to grade midterms over the weekend, Craig decided he was going to grade them while he had the free time. After all, he'd just go home and either sit with his dog or jerk off for the hundredth time that week. After he finished grading his twelfth midterm, he heard his phone buzz, lifting it up and blinking at the screen.

 _You think it's fair to sext me like that while I'm trying to pass your class? If I fail, it's all your fault, you know. I'll have to take your class again and again until I pass._

He let out a shaky breath, quickly typing a response before Tweek could continue.

 **Look, kid, I don't see a problem in you taking this class again. That just means there's more time for me to fuck you in this classroom** _ **.**_

A few minutes later, Craig swallowed hard as he was sent two pictures.

 _Which outfit should I wear to the bar on Saturday for my birthday? One or two?_

The first outfit was a black fish net crop top that was long sleeved and skin tight, paired with black jeans and knee high black boots. Craig could see everything underneath that top. Every freckle on his shoulders, every curve, his nipples. He swallowed hard as he followed the picture down, enjoying the way the boots somehow made his legs look longer. The second outfit, however, was the winner for Craig. It was an olive green jumpsuit that exposed a lot of his chest, paired with a gold belt around his waist to emphasize how tiny it was and boots that seemed to have a bit of a heel on them. They _definitely_ made his legs look longer. Craig couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped his lips, noticing the smirk Tweek wore in the second picture. _He's teasing you, the fucker_. He quickly sent back a reply.

 **Two, you fucking tease.**

He didn't wait for a response before undoing his belt, his pants way too tight for him suddenly. He assumed Tweek had planned this out, the messages coming in one after the other.

 _What if you see me at the bar on Saturday?_

 _I could drink with you, dance with you._

 _If we danced, I could grind my ass into your cock._

Craig sighed as he leaned his head back, gripping his dick in his hand and slowly started jerking himself off. He looked down at his phone as he realized it had buzzed a few times.

 _After a while we could make our way to the bathrooms. It would be a tight squeeze to put us both in one stall, but we would manage._

 _You know I'd take care of you._

 _Drop down to my knees like I'm supposed to once I have you alone._

 _I've had dreams about sucking your cock._

He cursed under his breath, toes curling in his shoes as he thought about looking down and seeing those eyes looking up at him, blonde eye lashes dancing across his cheeks with each innocent blink.

 _I've always wanted to suck cock in public, people obviously knowing because they can see me on my knees._

 _I want you to pull on my hair as you start fucking my mouth._

 _Don't worry about choking me._

 _I don't have a gag reflex._

Grunting into the quiet room, he threw his phone down onto his desk, tugging his dress shirt up as he came onto his stomach, letting out a shaky breath as he collapsed back against his chair. He grabbed his phone quickly as he panted, sending a text.

 **Fucking hell, kid, you really know how to make a man cum. What are you doing to me?**

He set his phone down while he waited for a reply, rummaging around his desk for a roll of paper towels he knew he had somewhere for when he cleans the white board. Humming when he found it, he cleaned himself off, looking at his phone when he heard it buzz.

 _You know exactly what I'm doing, kid._

* * *

To Mary Tweak's word, a care package for Tweek arrived at his apartment complex on his birthday. He spent most of the afternoon just enjoying some relaxation with his friends, Kenny, Bebe, and Eric all over to celebrate as well. Tweek excused himself at one point to call his parents to thank them for the _amazing_ care package, the gift chock full of homemade sweets, a few new sweaters, some cash, and booze, of course. He talked to them for about a half an hour before he heard everyone go to separate rooms to start getting ready for their night at the bar. Sending his love, he said goodbye to his parents before he went to start getting ready. To his word, Tweek decided on the outfit that Craig chose, feeling confident and ready to hit the town. He wanted Wendy and Bebe's opinion still, knocking on her door.

"Come in!" He grinned as he walked in, Wendy screaming while Bebe catcalled him.

"God _damn_ , Tweek, you look _hot_!" Bebe purred, a grin on her well put together face. She wore a smoky eye with bright red lipstick, which looked incredible with her long blonde hair to contrast. Wendy had on dark neutral tones and a dark red lipstick, Tweek grinning at them.

"I could say the same about you two." He said, sitting on the edge of Wendy's bed as they started getting changed.

"Oh! You should put highlighter along your cheek and collar bones! I have an awesome highlight that will look great with your skin!" Bebe suggested, Tweek shrugging after a moment.

"Why the hell not? Do it." Following Bebe's instructions, he turned his head so she could apply it to his cheek bones, and lifted his head back so she could get to his collar bones easier. Once she finished, he looked at himself in the mirror, grinning. It made him look intimidating almost, and he loved that. They left the apartment around eight pm, Tweek choosing the bar Craig had suggested over a month ago: Paddy's. It was about a fifteen minute walk off the campus, and it was a nice enough night that no one was complaining. Kenny was more than happy to go, considering the fact it was cheap booze. When they showed up, Tweek couldn't help but hear Craig's voice in the back of his head.

 _"It's cheesy_." The décor was definitely cheesy, but the bar was still packed.

"Use Cartman as a barricade as we push through!" Stan yelled, Cartman blinking.

"Wait, I didn't fucking agree to- _OW_!" Stan started pushing him forward, everyone following the path the two made. Once at the bar, they all ordered their drinks and passed over their ID's, Tweek grinning after he was handed his Long Island Iced Tea. They weren't his favorite, but it would get him drunk, and fast. Wendy grinned as they all held their glasses in the air.

"Happy Birthday, baby boy! You're finally twenty one!" She yelled over the crowd, all of them laughing and clinking their glasses together in celebration. Tweek grinned, kissing her cheek before taking a long sip of his drink. It burnt, but _man_ , he needed this. The guys managed to snag a standing table by the dance floor, Kyle and Stan saying they wouldn't drink as much tonight so Tweek could celebrate his birthday properly. Tweek grinned at them.

"You'd do that for me?!"

"Of course! How many times have you taken care of us when we got drunk?!" Kyle shouted, Tweek letting out a laugh.

"Damn, you got a good point!"

"Go! Go dance! Have fun! It's your fucking birthday!" Stan laughed, Kenny nudging Tweek before he turned to find Wendy and Bebe.

"Dude, I've been meaning to ask you! What's going on with you and Tucker?!" Tweek blinked, taking another long sip from his drink before answering.

"What do you mean?!"

"Well, for starters, he's been staring at you since you walked into this damn place!" Eyes widening, Tweek grabbed Kenny's forearm, moving closer to him so they didn't have to yell as much.

"Where _is he_?" He hissed between his teeth.

"Behind us. End of the bar. He's got…a black guy, some doofy brunette, and a guy on crutches with him." _They're all here_.

"Those are his friends."

"Damn, you know a lot about him, Tweek…are you two…you know?" Tweek grimaced as Kenny made a circle with his index and thumb, ramming his other index finger through the hole he made.

"Fucking grow up, dude! And…no…at least…not yet." Kenny whistled low, a smirk on his face.

"Damn, Tweek, I didn't peg you as the type to go after older guys, let alone our prefessor!" Tweek snorted, punching Kenny in the arm.

"Don't under estimate my abilities, McCormick!" He laughed, turning to head towards the dance floor. Unable to stop himself, he turned to look at the end of the bar. Sur enough, Craig was swirling his drink around its glass, elbows resting against the edge of the bar, with his shirt fanned open due to the heat of the bar. Even from the distance he was standing, Tweek could see the tip of his tongue running slowly over his bottom lip as he smirked, raising his glass in toast towards Tweek. With a smirk, Tweek raised his glass back before going to the dance floor.

Craig chuckled as he watched the blonde disappear into the sea of people, turning back around to lean his elbows against the bar top next to Token and Clyde.

"Craig, you either gotta bite the fucking bullet or get over this kid." Token said, smacking his shoulder lightly. Craig snorted, taking a sip from his rum and coke.

"I'm taking my time with him," He glanced over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Tweek singing along with Wendy and Bebe to _Dancing Queen_ on the dance floor, the way his hips moved almost sinful to Craig. "He's something special."

* * *

Three Long Island Iced Teas and two shots of tequila later, Tweek giggled as he stumbled up to Kenny, wrapping his arms around him.

"'m so drunk." He slurred, giggling between each word. Kenny grinned, snaking his arms around Tweek's waist.

"Me too, Tweek." He purred, humming as he tugged him closer. Tweek gasped, giggling still.

" _Kenny!_ Knock it off, you horny bastard!" He laughed, stumbling backwards and almost losing his balance as Kenny let him go. Thankfully, Kyle caught him by his arm.

"Easy, tiger, you're gonna hit your head on something." He chuckled, only slightly buzzed. Tweek looked up at him, placing his hand gently on Kyle's cheek.

"Can I kiss you? I miss kissing people. Kyle, let me kiss you!" He whined, struggling to stand upright. Kyle cursed under his breath, noticing Bebe wandering over to the end of the bar, Wendy trailing after her. He blinked as he realized Craig was there, Bebe talking to a brunette man that was standing nearby.

"Come on, I'm not kissing you. Not tonight," He said, just to get the sad look off Tweek's face. "C'mere, arm around my shoulders." Kyle got Tweek standing upright finally, taking his arm and placing it over his shoulders.

"Where-where we gonna go?" Tweek slurred out, a lazy grin on his face.

"We're visiting a good friend of yours." He gasped.

"Is it Wendy?! Stan?! Kyle?!"

" _I'm_ Kyle." He chuckled, rolling his eyes as they reached the end of the bar. Craig blinked when he saw them, smirking slightly.

"Well…looks like you've got your hands full." Tweek's head had lulled forward once they stopped walking, swaying from side to side. He lifted his head when he heard Craig's voice, gasping when he saw him.

"Craig! Craig you're _here_!" He giggled, stumbling forward. Losing his balance, he laughed as he started falling, Craig and Kyle quickly grabbing an arm each before he could fully drop to the floor.

"Look, I _really_ hate to ask you this as one of your students, but could you maybe take him home?" Craig blinked, looking up at him.

"What about you, Wendy, or Stan?"

"Stan just left to take Eric Cartman home about ten minutes ago and I gotta get McCormick's ass home. Wendy's in charge of Bebe." Wendy gave him a wave from where she stood behind Bebe, who was flirting mercilessly with Clyde. The brunette didn't mind, entertaining her drunken flirting. He liked her, but knew nothing would come out of tonight, not while she was drunk. Biting his lip slightly, Craig let out a sigh, standing up.

"He's got keys on him?" Craig asked, Kyle helping him get Tweek back on his feet. Kyle nodded, shooting him a thankful smile.

"Yes! They're attached to his belt. I clipped them there earlier when I saw he was starting to get really drunk." Craig nodded, Tweek giggling as he wrapped his arms around Craig's neck.

"Look at you, with your nice facial features!" Tweek giggled, running a finger over Craig's jaw. Craig shot Kyle a look, raising an eyebrow.

"You owe me one, kid." He chuckled, wrapping an arm around Tweek's waist. Token chuckled.

"Good luck, dude."

"R-R-Remember what-what we talked a-a-about!" Jimmy shouted towards him as he moved them towards the door, Craig rolling his eyes. Once they were outside, Craig suddenly became very aware of his situation. He had about a fifteen minute walk with a very drunk student of his that could barely stand up. He tightened his grip on his waist a little tighter, glancing over at the blonde. He was giggling to himself still, counting each step he took. He always restarted back at one when he got to ten.

"Do-what-can you count past ten? I can't-I can't _remember_!" He whined, Craig smirking slightly.

"Think, kid, you can figure it out. It's two one's next to each other." Tweek's brows furrowed as he started counting up from one, Craig biting his lip to keep himself from laughing when Tweek got to nine.

"Ten…one one….one…two….three…" Unable to help himself, Craig let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.

"Hey, repeat after me, yeah?" Tweek nodded, Craig moving so each step was a big stride. _Maybe this will get us back faster_. When they reached nine, Craig emphasized his words. "Ten. _Eleven_." Tweek blinked, stumbling forward as he gasped. Craig cursed under his breath, catching him before he fell once more.

" _Eleven!_ Of course it was eleven!" He yelled, arms moving wildly as he escaped Craig's grip.

" _Shit_! Kid, come on!" He grabbed Tweek's hand before he could get away from him, tugging his arm. Because of Tweek's intoxicated state, he stumbled back harder than he normally would've, face landing against Craig's shoulder. He giggled into the fabric of his shirt, Craig sighing as he took a moment to just breathe. They still had about an eight minute walk, but that seemed like eight hours to Craig with Tweek unable to walk past ten steps. Realizing the blonde fell quiet, he tensed as he felt his shirt being pulled aside, Tweek's fingers warm against his cool chest.

"You-you smell nice," He mumbled, Craig biting down on his lip as he felt a pair of warm lips kiss his shoulder. "And you _look_ good too!" He giggled, Craig yelling out in pain as Tweek bit down into his shoulder.

" _Fuck_ , Tweek!" He hissed between his teeth, Tweek bursting into a fit of laughter. Growing frustrated, Craig let out a groan, grabbing Tweek by his shoulders. "Look, you can't fucking walk, kid, so climb onto my back." The blonde gasped, giggling as he rushed behind Craig. Bracing himself, Tweek jumped up after wrapping his arms around Craig's neck, Craig letting out a soft _oomf_ as the full weight of his student landed on his back. It wasn't too bad for Craig, but the worse part was Tweek's roaming hands. As he started walking, Tweek's hands started roaming down his opened shirt, giggles continuing to hit Craig's ears as Tweek mumbled to himself.

"Tasty man. Tasted like-like coconut. You use coconut?"

"My body wash is coconut." He chuckled, hitching him up higher onto his back. This was definitely the way to do it. Just got to cross campus and then he's home. Tweek giggled into his ear, biting down gently on his ear lobe.

"I think you're so cool. So pretty." He started playing with Craig's hair, humming thoughtfully. Craig just let it happen, too focused on getting to Tweek's apartment at this point. Finally, after another five minute walk, they were in the parking lot of Tweek's apartment complex. He set Tweek down once they got to the elevator, Craig remembering that Kyle put the key on his belt. After pressing the elevator button, he heard the keys jingle lightly as Tweek swayed on his feet, Craig quickly unclipping it and looking at the key. _4H._ The elevator opened in front of them. Craig tossing Tweek's arm around his shoulder for the last time. He gave his hip a squeeze.

"Come on, kid, almost there." He said, pressing the fourth floor. Tweek hummed once the elevator door shut, stepping closer to Craig.

"I meant-I meant what I said."

"What, Tweek?"

"That you're so cool…so pretty." His voice was a whisper at this point. The _ding_ of the elevator snapped Craig back into reality, quickly moving off the elevator with Tweek. Looking to his right, he saw that H was the second door in.

"Work with me, Tweek, we're at your apartment." He grumbled, sticking the key in the lock and quickly pushing the door open. It was quiet, and that relaxed Craig's ringing ears. He let Tweek wander into the apartment as he tugged the key out of the lock, closing the door behind him. Craig flicked on a light switch, hanging the key on a key hook that was nearby. When he looked up, he noticed Tweek just staring at him, his swaying not as intense now that he was really focusing on staying still. He slowly took a step forward towards Craig, Tweek watching as the man shoved his hands into his pockets as he watched him step closer and closer. Craig made no attempt to move as Tweek pressed his chest against his, closing his eyes as Tweek carded his fingers through his hair and rested his hands on the back of his neck. Slowly, he pulled them around from the back of Craig's neck, up his throat, and onto his face.

" _Please_ … _please fuck me_." He breathed out, nose nuzzling into Craig's cheek. Craig swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

"You know I can't do that." He whispered, Tweek grabbing where his buttons started on his shirt and tugging him forward.

"You can and you _want_ to. I still have your text messages. I touch myself when I read them. _Every time_ I read them." He purred, a low chuckle escaping his lips. Craig let him lead him, knowing he'd run out of steam soon. His movements were slowing down.

" **Just because** **I** want to, kid, doesn't mean I'm going to. Not while you're like this." Tweek pouted, pulling Craig into his bedroom. He turned them around, Tweek closing the door and leaning against it. The hand that was still fisting Craig's shirt pulled him closer, his lower lip pouting out.

"Please, daddy?" He whispered, Craig's nostrils flaring as he inhaled sharply at the name. _Fucking hell_. He grunted slightly as Tweek's other hand grabbed him through his pants, the blonde's face lighting up as he figured out Craig was hard. _Very hard_. He let out a mischievous chuckle, the hand on his crotch pressing harder onto the bulge. "Oh, God, you're _so big_. You want me. You want to fuck me. I know you do, daddy." He said, eyes locking with Craig's as he took a step closer. Yes. Craig does want to fuck him. _Very badly_. But he's not doing it like this. Grabbing Tweek's wrist, he tugged the warm hand off his groin, pulling Tweek over to his bed. The blonde giggled.

"Come on."

"I knew you'd do it." He purred, Craig turning around once by Tweek's bed. He started undoing Tweek's belt, swatting Tweek's hands away as he tried to unbutton the rest of the buttons on Craig's shirt.

"Knock it off, I'm not fucking you." Tweek pouted, whining.

"But, please, daddy?" He pouted, batting his eyelashes. Craig was so painfully hard in his pants. He was going to explode if he didn't get Tweek safely into bed within the next minute. He undid the buttons on the front of Tweek's jumpsuit, pushing the fabric off his shoulders. Even in the darkness of the room, Craig could see each freckle on his shoulders, just like in the picture he sent him the other day

"Hand's on my shoulders." Craig crouched down, lifting Tweek's feet out of his boots before then lifting his legs out of his jumpsuit. Once he was in his underwear, Craig did everything in his power to ignore Tweek's obvious erection. Even after he stood, Tweek still gripped at his shoulders.

"Come on. Please? Pretty please, daddy?" _God fucking dammit_. Shaking his head, he pulled the blankets down on Tweek's bed.

"C'mere, kid." He mumbled, putting an around in the middle of his back and the other behind his knee caps. Tweek let out a laugh as Craig lifted him up, but just as quickly as he was picked up, he was laid down in bed.

"Oh _daddy_ , you're so _strong_!" He giggled, reaching out to try and grab Craig's shirt. Craig managed to evade his hands, grabbing Tweek's desk chair and tugging it over to the foot of the bed. He couldn't be near Tweek's face. Not when his eyes still looked as beautiful as ever and his freckled skin radiated the most inviting heat.

"Close your eyes, Tweek, it's time to sleep." He said, glancing at his phone. _One twenty seven_.

"I don't wanna sleep, daddy, I wanna _fuck_. I want you to _fuck me_." Closing his eyes, Craig ran his hands down his face, trying to think of something to say.

"Look, kid, you know I find you _very attractive_ , but you're drunk off your _ass_." Tweek giggled.

"You said _ass_."

"Think of it this way. The faster you go to sleep, the faster you sober up, which means the faster I get to fuck you." The words felt strange coming out of his mouth, but Craig wouldn't lie and say it didn't excite him to say it, because he _wasn't wrong_. Tweek blinked, gasping softly.

"Oh! Okay! Good night, Craig!" He giggled, rolling over onto his side. Craig took a mental note to remember that even Tweek's back was scattered with freckles. Sighing in relief once the blonde stayed quiet for ten minutes straight, Craig tugged out his phone and realized that there was no way he could go home. Not with **Tweek like this**.

Craig was thankful that he was able to safely get him in bed, but he took the time to look around his room. There were potted plants by the window sill, one even hanging in the corner from the ceiling by a rope pot holder. His desk was pretty clutter free, which surprised Craig, considering how hectic Tweek's thinking patterns are. The walls were littered with posters, a tapestry hanging on the wall his bed rested on. There were family photos, Craig standing slowly to go look at them. The last thing he wanted to do was to wake the horny beast. Grabbing one of the frames, he smiled a bit as it was a much younger Tweek standing in front of a coffee shop with who he could only assume was his parents. He could see that he had his mother's eyes and father's nose. It was charming. He spent a few more minutes looking at the pictures before he put the desk chair back where it was, grabbing a spare blanket he saw in a basket at the foot of Tweek's bed and sitting down in a bean bag chair in the corner of his room. Slowly untying his Converse, Craig set them aside and stretched his legs out, sighing softly as his feet finally found some relief. He spread the blanket out over his legs, head lulling back as he found himself staring the blonde once more. Licking his lips, he couldn't help but smirk and chuckle softly, Tweek's rhythmic breathing indicating to him he was finally asleep. Craig found his own eyes growing heavy as Tweek rolled over, his face calm in the moonlight creeping in through the window. His lips twitched up into a tired smile, eyes dropping shut.

"Sleep tight, kid."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Ya'll, it's past four am again but I desperately needed to get this chapter out. I couldn't sleep last night and planned this sucker all out. I hope some of your thirst has been quenched, but we still have a few more chapters to go until the real party begins ;) Hope you cuties enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:  
Dancing Queen-ABBA


	7. Lesson 7: A Cure for a Hangover

It felt like someone was driving a fucking icepick into his eyes repeatedly.

Tweek could barely get his eyes open, the searing pain rushing through his head preventing him from doing so. The room was tinted orange from the early morning sun, the blonde slowly lifting his head in an effort to try and get himself moving. His stomach rolled, Tweek immediately putting his head back on his pillow with a groan.

" _Fuck_." He hissed between his teeth, pulling the pillow out from under his head and putting it over his face. He needed darkness, that would help.

"I'm surprised you even woke up this morning after how drunk you were last night." Tweek's eyes flew open under the pillow, the darkness easier on his throbbing head. He recognized his voice, it was hard not to at this point. That sleep filled, groggy voice would be the fucking death of him.

"Shut up." He grumbled into the pillow, his uninvited guest chuckling.

"Feeling rough?"

"Shut. Up." Tweek repeated, rolling onto his side and lifting the pillow enough so he could at least look at Craig. He had taken his shirt off at some point in the middle of the night, his long legs barely covered by the blanket. His head was resting against the bean bag, almost touching his shoulder as he tilted his head to look at Tweek. His tattoo on his right shoulder was even more beautiful when Tweek could see it paired with Craig's bare torso. _God he's beautiful_.

"You had quite the mouth on you last night." Craig murmured, eyes blinking slowly as he was still trying to wake up. Tweek glared a bit at him, but it was just an excuse to close his eyes some.

"What does that even mean?" He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as his stomach rolled with nausea once more. "How did I even get home? I…the last thing I remember is dancing with Bebe and Wendy." Tweek slurred, his mouth feeling dry and his tongue heavy. Craig raised an eyebrow.

"Christ, kid, you blacked out."

" _No shit_ , _Craig_." He hissed out between his teeth, curling in on himself as the alcohol in his stomach got its revenge.

"You need some water?" Tweek grunted, slowly trying to move to sit up.

"N-No. I can do it."

"Come on, Tweek, you look green. Just stay in bed." The concerned tone was enough to convince Tweek, the blonde letting out a sigh and nodding.

"Alright…alright, fine…thanks, Craig." He mumbled, lying on his bag and draping his arm across his eyes. Craig smirked, standing up and moving towards the door.

"It's no problem, kid." Tweek shot upright as the door opened, the nausea creeping up his throat.

" _Fuck!"_ He shouted, stumbling out of bed and pushing past Craig. Hand over his mouth, he ran into the bathroom, collapsing to the ground and tossing the toilet seat up. His hands gripped the porcelain bowl as he finally lost the contents of his stomach, his throat burning from whatever he drank last night. He can't remember _anything_. Tears welled into his eyes, panic replacing the nauseous feeling in his stomach after he found there was nothing left for his body to throw up. With a shaky hand, he grabbed a small piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth with before tossing it in the toilet and flushing it. His face was flushed red and his skin was covered in a cold sweat. Curling up on the floor, he sniffled and closed his eyes, bottom lip quivering as he tried his best to remember _anything_ from last night. The bathroom door shut, Tweek gasping as he felt a hand on his back.

"Here, kid," Craig whispered, tucking his pillow under his head and placing a bottle of water by him. He closed the toilet, sitting on top of the lid with his elbows on his knees. Tweek sniffled, looking at the floor. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't like n-not remembering what I did last night…" He whispered, hands shaking as he gripped the pillow case. Craig frowned, reaching down and pushing his hair off his forehead.

"It's alright, Tweek. You didn't do anything bad. It was your birthday, it's okay." He assured him, but Tweek shook his head.

"H-How did I even get home? Why are you here? I just- _fuck_ -I don't know what h-happened!" Tweek sobbed, tangling his fingers into his hair. Craig licked his lips, sliding off the toilet seat onto the floor next to Tweek.

"Move your head a bit," Craig murmured, Tweek doing so. He laid his head on the other half of his pillow, Tweek blinking as he could feel the heat coming off him. "Do you want me to tell you what happened? Would that make you relax?" Tweek nodded, closing his eyes.

"P-Please?" He breathed out, rolling onto his back. The tile was cool against his hot skin. Craig took a moment to just look at him before speaking.

"You danced for a long time with the girls. I watched you. You drank three Long Island Iced Teas and two shots of tequila, and it was the good kind of tequila. Some creepy dude bought them for you, but Stan was nearby and butted in," Tweek made a mental note to thank Stan. "Then you went back to dancing a little longer before making your way over to Kenny. You two were getting real cozy for a bit."

"Kenny?"

"He was holding you and whispering things to you and eventually, you pushed yourself away and fell backwards. Kyle caught you before you actually hit the ground," Tweek made another mental note to thank Kyle. "I didn't pay attention for a few minutes, and the next thing I know, Kyle is leaving you with me."

"What? Why?"

"Stan took Eric home, Kyle had to take Kenny home, and Wendy was in charge of watching Bebe. She was flirting with Clyde…which is weird to me, but whatever." Tweek ran his hands down his face, whining.

"God, I'm so embarrassing…"

"That's…not all." Tweek blinked, glancing over at Craig.

"What else happened?"

"Well…I had to still take you home, and that wasn't an easy task considering you could barely stand up. You were counting your steps, but you couldn't get past ten. You couldn't remember the number eleven. Finally, you remembered and you got away from me, but when I pulled you back I needed to fucking breathe because you're exhausting when you're drunk, kid." Tweek groaned.

"I-I'm so fucking-"

"I'm not done yet," Tweek blinked, sighing and dropping his arms to his side as he accepted the fact he clearly made a fool of himself. "You kissed my shoulder, saying I smelled good. Then you bit my shoulder, saying I _tasted_ good."

"Oh my _god_." He whined, hiding his face behind his hands.

"I ended up giving you a fucking piggy back ride the rest of the way home. You couldn't keep your hands to yourself or your teeth off my ear lobe. But, finally, I got you back here, and…once we were inside," Craig took a moment to pause, trying not to let himself get worked up as he thought about the way Tweek looked at him last night. "You begged me to fuck you." Tweek slowly lowered his hands off his face, eyes wide as he dared not look at Craig. He gasped a bit, however, when Craig's face suddenly appeared above his. He smelt of rum and coconut.

"I-I'm so sorry." Tweek choked out, his voice so small compared to how he usually sounds. Craig smirked slowly, Tweek noticing the dark look in his eyes.

"You don't have to be sorry." There it was. That low, growly tone that drove Tweek up a wall two weeks ago. The blonde couldn't help the whimper that escaped his lips.

"But…t-that-that was really i-inappropriate of me…" Craig chuckled, planting a hand on either side of Tweek's face. He used one of his knees to nudge Tweek's legs open, planting it on the other side of him once they he was satisfied with the position of his legs. Tweek suddenly became very aware of the fact Craig was straddling him.

"Need I remind you that we were _sexting_ two days ago?" He murmured, the sound of his voice lulling Tweek's eyes closed.

"I-I know but that-that was consensual, you know?"

"You think I don't want to fuck you?" Craig asked, hips pressing down against Tweek's, _Oh dear god_. Even through the fabric of his jeans, Tweek could still feel how hard Craig was, and he couldn't believe he was hard for _him_.

"I-I…not after last night…" He admitted, because Tweek knew he was a mess last night. Craig hummed, running a hand through Tweek's hair and gripping at it as he pressed his hips down harder against the blonde's, rolling them slightly. Tweek gasped under him, Craig smirking as he put his lips by Tweek's ears.

"You called me _daddy_ over and over again, and you think I don't want to _fuck you_?" He growled, Tweek's eyes widening a bit as he struggled to find the right words.

"I- _nng -_ I didn't-"

"Yes you did. You definitely meant to," Craig chuckled, his hips still rolling against Tweek's. It was all so much: the information, the warmth of Craig's body on his, _his grinding hips_. Finally letting himself relax, Tweek whined a little louder than he meant to, the hand in his hair sliding out and slamming over his mouth. "Fucking _shut up_. Do you want to wake the whole apartment?" He growled, and Tweek shook his head. "Now, I'm going to pull my hand away so I can take my fucking pants off, and if you say a fucking word or make a noise I won't finish what I started." Tweek looked at him with wide eyes, his breath shaky over Craig's hand. Tweek watched as he quickly stood up, making sure the door was locked before tugging his jeans off. He slowly returned to where he was, but the sensation was more intense without the thick fabric of his jeans there. Tweek bit down on his lips as Craig resumed his grinding, hands back on either side of his face. Looking up at him, Tweek could see the pupil in his blue eye was completely blown with lust, but it was harder to tell in his brown eye. Tweek knew it was there. He could tell. Tweek gasped sharply as Craig thrusted his hips forwards _hard_ , the friction so relieving and mind numbing.

" _O-Oh god!_ " He gasped, Craig slamming a hand over his mouth as his hips stopped moving.

"What the _fuck_ did I just say?" He growled between his teeth, face mere inches away from Tweek's face. Those wide green eyes that Craig had grown so fond of looked at him, full of lust and excitement. He smirked, chuckling softly. "If I take my hand away, are you going to behave?" Tweek's eyes rolled upwards slightly as he closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh through his nose. It tickled Craig's hand. He shook his head, Craig raising an eyebrow. "If you can't behave, kid, then I'm going to stop," A muffled whimper came from under his hand, Tweek's eyes opening. They were pleading for him to move, it was written all over his face. Craig hummed thoughtfully, slowly moving his hips once more. "Fine, I'll compromise with you. If you can go a minute without making a sound, I'll take my hand away. Got it?" Tweek nodded, eyes closing as his chest heaved due to the friction. The room was silent despite their labored breathing, that is, until Tweek said something under Craig's hand. "Speak up, kid." **Something animalistic came** across Tweek's eyes, a playful grin on his face as he pulled his hand away.

"I-I'm _so close_. Fucking choke me, _daddy_." He breathed out. Now it was Craig who made a sound, a grunt escaping his throat as he wrapped his hand around Tweek's throat, the blonde's eyes rolling back as he grinned and _laughed_ through his smileas **he gasped for air**. His laughter sent pins and needles up Craig's arm, causing him to grunt again. It was single handedly the most attractive think Craig Tucker had ever seen and heard. Cursing as quietly as he could under his breath, Craig let out a grunt as he thrusted his hips forwards once more, feeling the cum soak into his underwear as his orgasm sent pleasure up his spine. Tweek gasped hard as he came moments later, Craig slamming his other hand over his mouth as he whined loudly. Craig swallowed hard as he felt him cum. He pulled his hands away after the room fell quiet, Tweek's face, neck, and shoulders flushed red. There was a hand mark around his throat, Craig letting out a soft laugh.

"Jesus, kid, I didn't think you were that kinky." He teased, Tweek letting out a breathless laugh as he ran his hands through his hair, chest still heaving.

"There are a lot of things you have yet to learn about me, Craig Tucker."

* * *

It wasn't until later in the evening that Tweek really looked at himself in the mirror. Purple bruises in the shapes of fingertips sat on his neck, and if he was being honest, it turned him on _a lot_. Knowing he would be bruised like this for at least a few days and that it was _Craig's_ handy work made him feel giddy, the thought of someone asking him about them making his head spin. _Oh, these? I got them from my macroeconomics professor? How? He rutted against me on the bathroom floor_. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Tweek tugged the NASA sweatshirt over his head, sliding on his slippers before walking out into the living room. Wendy, Stan, and Bebe all sat out there, Tweek faintly remember Kyle saying he was meeting up with Heidi today. He thinks they're on a date. Wendy looked up as he walked out and to the fridge, smiling.

"Oh, well hello, sleepy head! Haven't seen you today." She said, Tweek smiling a bit into the fridge as he grabbed a left over slice of pizza from a few days ago. After shutting the fridge, he walked over and sat in the recliner, taking a bite of the cold pizza.

"My head is killing me still and I napped for four hours after I threw everything up this morning." He said, leaning his head back against the back of the chair. Bebe blinked, eyes widening.

"That's not the _only thing_ you did today by the looks of it." Her face slowly broke out into a grin, Tweek blinking as he realized he just fully exposed his neck. Stan looked over, wincing.

"Jesus Christ, dude, what the fuck did you do?!" Tweek slowly licked his lips, pursing them together as his mind rapidly flashed back to this morning. He could still feel Craig chuckling against his chest, his hips against his, his _fucking cock_ rutting against his own erection.

"I, um…uh…" For once, Tweek was at a loss for words. Wendy stood up, walking over and grasping his chin in her hand. She tilted his head back more, examining the marks. After a minute, she gasped. Wendy placed her hand that was on his chin down on his throat, placing her fingers as best she could on the spots.

" _Tweek!"_ She gasped, grinning at him as she realized exactly what her friend did. Stan let out a laugh, slamming his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing even more. It wasn't that it was funny, it's just he never expected Tweek to be into something like choking.

"Are you serious?! Dude! I didn't think you-"

"Didn't think I'd be into choking, yeah yeah!" He whined, tugging the sweatshirt up over his neck. Bebe rushed over, tugging it back down and grinning slowly.

" _God_ , he's got big hands."

"Bebe, the man is, like, six foot five." Tweek laughed, his face still flushed pink.

"Hey, big hands, big cock." Stan choked on his beer, Wendy walking over to pat his back as he coughed. Tweek pursed his lips, trying not to grin. _Well, she isn't wrong._

"How was it?! I'm sure it was the most mind blowing sex, right?" The blonde in front of Tweek asked, curiosity filling her eyes at this point. Tweek hummed, swallowing.

"We, um, haven't had sex yet." He said, Wendy blinking.

"Wait, then why do you-"

"We fooled around on the bathroom floor this morning." He groaned, hiding his face behind his hands.

"But you've kissed, right?!" Bebe asked, furrowing her eyebrows together. Tweek blinked, pulling his hands slowly down his face until his eyes peeked over the tops of his fingertips.

"We… _no_ …we haven't." Tweek breathed out, the sudden realization so shocking to him. How could he have sexted, name called, grinded, and be choked without _kissing_ Craig? He had to have kissed him at some point! Quickly thinking back over the course of the semester, Tweek blinked as he realized that Craig and him have, in fact, _not kissed_. Wendy smirked a bit.

"You're pulling a _Pretty Woman_." Tweek looked at her, brows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"You've seen the movie, right?"

"Well…yeah, but it's been a long time." Wendy stood up from her spot on the couch, pacing slowly around the living room.

"So basically, she's a prostitute who is paid to be a rich businessman's date for events that week. She still does him sexual favors, but she has a rule: she doesn't kiss on the mouth. Says it's too personal, too romantic. Everything is strictly sex with her. You're doing what she did!" Tweek thought about it, head reeling.

"Well, she _chose_ to do that, I'm not choosing to _not_ kiss him. It just…I don't know, I'm too scared to initiate it!" Tweek said that a little louder than he meant to, face heating up again. Yes, he was scared to initiate a kiss with Craig. He's afraid that Craig won't want that from him, that maybe he does want strictly sexual favors. Tweek was afraid of ruining that, because Tweek needs sexual favors, too, and he _does not_ want to give a guy like Craig up. Bebe hummed thoughtfully, crossing her arms across her chest.

"What if you teased him a bit?"

"How?"

"Maybe you can dress in tighter clothing so when we're in class he's distracted, or the next time you two are alone, show off your incredible ability to suck cock! Take advantage of having no gag reflex! Send him flirty texts while also being nonchalant about it. Or, and this is the old fashioned way, you can spend time together and just… _talk_. Maybe he'll have this sudden urge to just, like, jump your bones! Look, I don't claim to be an expert on anything, but I've been with enough guys now that I know what makes them tic, regardless of their sexuality." Tweek nodded slowly as he listened to Bebe, tucking a few of her ideas into the back of his mind. Stan chuckled from the couch.

"As much as I hate to say it, she does have some points. I especially agree with talking. For instance, after I started talking more with Wendy and hanging out with her one-on-one, I realized just how intelligent and funny and genuine she is. That's part of the reason why I finally grew a pair and made my move." Wendy smiled a bit at that, walking over and pressing a quick peck to Stan's lips. It made Tweek happy to see his friends so happy, but his stomach lurched at them kissing, craving that same simplicity. Why can't he just walk up to Craig and kiss him like that? Why does his situation have to be so difficult? Why can't _Craig just fucking kiss him_?

* * *

The clock on the wall was too fucking loud in the library. It was Monday and Tweek had called off work just this week because his life was about to collapse in on itself. He had projects he felt like were never ending and readings out the ass, and it was all incredibly overwhelming. Growing frustrated with macroeconomics, he dropped his head to the book, digging his fingers into his scalp as he tried to breathe. That familiar tightness of a panic attack started forming in his chest, so he quickly grabbed his phone after taking a sip of water, pressing his phone to his ear. The glass was cool against his flushed cheeks.

" _Hey-"_

"What the _fuck_ is the fucking marginal propensity to consume?!" He said into the phone, his free hand tangled into his hair as he stared at his textbook. Nothing he read was being retained.

" _Hey, whoa, breathe, kid. You okay?"_

 _"NO_ , I'm not okay! I have two projects due soon and they're taking up all of my time and I had to take off work this week just so I can work on them because there aren't enough hours in a day for me to get everything done!" He whispered into the phone, his voice almost a hiss.

" _Tweek, seriously, take a deep breath. You're getting yourself all worked up. Can you do that for me?"_ Realizing he was holding his breath, Tweek slowly let it out before inhaling slowly. After releasing that breath, Craig hummed. " _Okay. Now, the marginal propensity to consume is the proportion of an aggregate raise in pay that the consumer spends on the consumption of goods and services instead of saving it. It has to do with the Keynesian theory of economics, but remember what I said in class: John Maynard Keynes is a little bitch. Anyways, it's basically calculated by taking the change in consumption and dividing that by the change in income. For instance, say your boss decided to give you a raise because they realized you make the best coffee around."_

 _"_ Quit trying to flatter me…" He chuckled, blushing. Craig laughed softly.

" _It's true! Now shut up, I'm on a roll,"_ Tweek rolled his eyes, but grinned nonetheless. " _Say you end up make two hundred dollars more a week than you did before the raise. You now have two hundred dollars more in income than you did before. Now, let's say you spent seventy five of the two hundred dollars and decided to save the remaining one twenty five. The MPC will be point three eight. You get that by dividing the seventy five you spent by the two hundred you had. Because you now earn more, you're willingness to spend will also increase…does…does that make sense? I know I just talked your ear off, kid."_ Tweek smiled softly as the sound of Craig just talking to him made him relax, his anxiety about everything simmering out.

"Yeah…yeah, that makes sense…" He breathed out, aimlessly doodling in his notebook now.

" _…Do you want to come over to my place?"_ It was such a simple question, yet so hard to answer. Tweek bit down on his lip, thinking hard. _What could he want? The only time I've ever been to his place was when he was drunk a few weeks ago…_ He stopped as he looked at the doodle he made, his face flushing as it was a heart with _C+T_ written inside of it. _Dammit_ …

"What for?" Tweek whispered into the phone, afraid anyone nearby would hear him talking to _his professor_ on the phone.

" _I can help you with economics if you want. Sounds like you've got your hands full this week, kid_." Closing his eyes, Tweek chewed on the top of his pen, eventually groaning softly.

"Okay…I'll be there within the hour."

" _Just hit the buzzer when you're here_ _and I'll let you in_."

* * *

Tweek arrived faster than he anticipated, so he sat in his car, staring at Craig's building. Glancing at his phone, he realized he's been sitting in the car for twenty minutes now. _Just go. Now or never, kid_. Tweek blinked as he used _his_ pet name in his mental thoughts, cheeks turning a bright red as he grumbled to himself.

"Fucking _asshole,_ making me think in _his tone."_ He grumbled as he stepped out of his car, wrapping his arms around himself as he walked to the front entrance. It was a cold day in Colorado, but Tweek's mind was going a million miles a minute, and the cold was the last thing on his mind. He scanned the list of buzzers, pressing Craig's once he found it. While he waited, he fidgeted with the straps of his backpack. He heard a voice.

" _That you, kid_?"

"It's fucking cold."

" _Yup, that's you_." The door buzzed, Tweek tugging it open and quickly moving inside. Once he was on the elevator, he continued to fidget with the straps of his backpack, head spinning as he remembered that he'd be _alone_ with _Craig_ in _his apartment_. Bebe's words rang in his head:

 _"Or, and this is the old fashioned way, you can spend time together and just…talk. Maybe he'll have this sudden urge to just, like, jump your bones!"_

Tweek snorted to himself as the elevator door opened, sighing as he knocked on Craig's door once at the end of the hall. He smiled a bit as he heard a soft bark, followed by Craig's voice.

"Hey, Venus, move back!" Tweek chuckled a bit as he heard her tags _clink_ lightly as she walked away from the door, Craig's face suddenly appearing. "Christ, no wonder you're cold, you're not wearing a jacket, kid." He turned, walking into the apartment, Tweek accepting the silent invitation to enter.

"I forgot to grab one, alright?" Tweek said, shutting the door behind him. Venus came bounding up, jumping up against Tweek. Her paws rested on his thighs, Tweek chuckling as he rubbed her head. "Hi cutie." He whispered to her, Venus turning her head to lick at his hand.

"Jesus, Venus, let the kid sit." Craig laughed from his place on the couch, Venus turning and rushing over at the sound of her name. Tweek followed her over to the couch, sitting on the opposite end from Craig. He tugged his legs up onto the couch, sitting cross legged as he unzipped his backpack and set his textbook in his lap.

"How was your day?" Tweek asked, the silence becoming too much for him. Craig hummed, scratching under his dog's chin.

"It was fine. I went to the shop, saw you weren't there, and left. You actually called me right after I finished changing out of my work clothes and said you had taken off." Tweek nodded, flipping through the text book.

"Yeah, college is _killing me_ currently and I'm not thrilled about that." He breathed out, blinking as the couch shifted next to him. The smell of cigarettes and coconut filled his nostrils, something he was learning to grow accustomed to.

"Here, where'd you leave off in the reading?" Craig asked, looking over his shoulder into the textbook.

"Oh, um, aggregate supply and demand." Craig hummed, reaching over for Tweek's backpack. He tugged out a notebook and a pen, flipping open to a blank page.

"Okay, here, it's easier if I just show you on a graph." Tweek wasn't sure why, but with Craig teaching him one on one, everything seemed to make so much more sense. Maybe it was because he could ask questions until he finally felt comfortable with the concept. Sure, he could do that in class, but he always felt like he was being annoying or a suck up. Maybe it was because he was comfortable on a couch, shoulder to shoulder with a man he's learned so much about. Maybe it was the fact Craig genuinely seemed to care about Tweek doing well. When Tweek looked at the time, two hours had passed. The sun had set, and he bit his lip as he realized he should probably go. _You don't want to leave_. Thinking quickly as he packed up his bag, he glanced over at Craig, who had stood to grab a drink.

"Hey, question for you." Tweek blurted out, setting his backpack aside as he rapidly thought of a question. _Way to think ahead_. Craig looked over his shoulder as he reached into the fridge, grabbing a beer.

"Shoot, kid." _Fuck fuck fuck._

"Um…where'd you get the scar on your eyebrow from?" _Phew_. Craig looked up, as if trying to see his eyebrows. He laughed softly, walking back over and sitting on the couch near Tweek.

"It's a, uh, funny story, really. I pierced my own eyebrow sophomore year of college. That went fine, I actually did it and got the jewelry in. However…I went to a party and, I don't remember how, but it got ripped out." He chuckled, Tweek wincing.

" _Ripped out_?! Did you have to get stitches?"

"Of course! I was left with a scar, the hair just never growing back there." He explained, Tweek nodding slowly.

"I mean, of course, you had a piercing _ripped out of your face_." He chuckled, Craig letting out a soft laugh.

"Yes…yes I did."

"I'm too scared to get a piercing. I also wouldn't know what would look good on me. I've thought about my septum, but I get sick a lot in the spring and don't want to deal with that." Tweek said through soft laughter, Craig grinning slowly at him.

"You'd look hot with a septum piercing." Tweek blinked, blushing a dark red as he rubbed the back of his (still bruised) neck.

"You-you think?" He breathed out, Craig humming as he took a long sip of his beer. He nodded his head as he set the drink on the table.

"Of course, kid. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," They didn't say anything after that, just stared at each other for a minute. Tweek watched as Craig's face softened, lips parting slightly as his tongue darted out to lick his lower lip. Tweek swallowed hard, looking down to watch his fingers dance against his thighs. "Your neck looks great, kid." Tweek's head whipped up, eyes widening.

"Huh? Oh! Y-Yeah, I got a few questions about that today." He breathed out, laughing nervously.

"Yeah? What'd you say?"

"Said I hooked up with some random dude from the bar." Tweek saw Craig's face falter a bit, but then quickly compose himself.

"Some random guy, huh?"

"I can't say it was _you_. I don't want you to lose your job…" Tweek said, and Craig knew he was right. Sighing, Craig ran a hand through his hair, chewing on his bottom lip.

"I know, kid…it's just…"

"Just… _what_ , Craig?" The blonde asked, eyeing the man sitting at the other end of the couch from him. Craig was clearly trying to get the right words out, his jaw clenching as he thought. Finally, he smirked a bit, chuckling softly as he sighed.

"I just don't like the idea of some random, nonexistent sleaze getting the credit for _my marks_." It was back, that growl, that growl that has Tweek melting all over the floor. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Tweek stood up, grabbing his backpack.

"I know…I-I don't like it either but…you know it's what has to happen…," Tweek looked at the clock once more, letting out a small hum. "I should get going. Um…thanks for all of your help, Craig. I really appreciate it." He said, shooting him a small smile. Craig gave him a curt nod.

"Need me to walk you out?" He murmured, Tweek shaking his head.

"I'm okay. I'll text you once I'm home…good night, Craig," He turned towards the door, stopping once he tugged it open. Looking over his shoulder, he stared at the man who sat on the couch with his elbows on his knees. "Why…why haven't you kissed me?" He said into the quiet apartment, the air feeling much heavier all of a sudden. Tweek just stared at Craig, and when a minute had passed and it was obvious he wasn't going to respond, he sighed. "Good night…" Walking out, he shut the door behind him, running his hands down his face as he walked toward the elevator. _You were right. It was…_ _ **is**_ _strictly sexual._ Pressing the elevator button, Tweek began fidgeting with his backpack straps again, trying to ignore the crushing feeling in his chest as his eyes welled up with unshed tears. _No._ He can't cry here, not with Craig so close. The elevator greeted him with a gentle _ding_ , looking up as the doors opened. Stepping on, he pressed the ground floor, leaning back against the wall of the elevator. He barely registered the frantic footsteps running towards him, his head snapping up as the doors were stopped from closing. Blinking those green eyes of his, Craig shoved the elevator door open, breathing heavily as he stared back at the blonde in the elevator. In two big steps, he had Tweek pinned between the wall of the elevator and himself, lips pressing firmly against his. Tweek inhaled sharply, Craig's hands cupping his face in order to keep him from floating away. Finally registering what was really happening, Tweek kissed him back, hands flying up to grip at his back. The only sound heard was their bated breathing, the smacking of their lips, and the occasional whimper from Tweek. The blonde gasped as Craig bit down on his lower lip, the man taking his open mouth as an invitation. Tongue slipping in, Tweek discovered he tasted like whatever cheap beer he was drinking, but it was the most intoxicating drink he's ever tasted. Their fingers ran through the other's hair, gripping and pulling lightly as they tried to get somehow closer to each other. With a loud _smack_ , Craig pulled himself away, lips plump and red from the force of the kiss. Tweek's were in a similar state, his hair sticking out every which way. Without a word, Craig stepped off the elevator, chest still heaving as he tried to catch his breath. As the doors started closing, he smirked a bit.

"Because I wanted to kiss you like that."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Sorry I didn't get to upload yesterday, I worked until midnight and was exhausted by the time work was over. But, it is almost 4 am and I am not tired what so ever because I have horrible cramps and probably won't be able to sleep anyways! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm enjoying all of your "ask professor Craig" messages on tumblr, by the way! It has been so much fun answering them! I hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	8. Lesson 8: The Heckler

**NOTE:** Hey! I made a ko-fi account! If you feel so inclined to donate, any bit helps! craigtuckeradvocate is my name on there! (I'd post a link, but fanfiction hates links so, whatever)

* * *

It felt like someone had poured PopRocks in his mouth, but he couldn't get the tingling to go away. Tweek couldn't avert his eyes from the road as he drove home, mind moving a million miles a minute. His fingertips were so cold against his warm lips, idly running them over his swollen bottom lip. After Craig left the elevator, he found he couldn't breathe as he stared at the place his face once was, fingers running over his lips as if Craig had somehow stolen them from his face. It still didn't feel like his lips were there, tingling and numb from the force in which he was kissed. Or maybe he couldn't feel them because his whole body felt numb, heart racing in his chest. He couldn't tell the girls. No, he'd keep this one to himself. Upon entering his apartment, he noticed that everyone was already in their rooms, Tweek locking the door behind him. As quietly as he could, he crept over to his room. Once he was in the safe haven that is his bedroom, he let out a shaky sigh, closing his eyes as he leaned against the door.

 _Because I wanted to kiss you like that._

Craig's words ran through Tweek's head, the blonde letting his backpack slide off his shoulders as he walked across the room. He tossed it by his desk, slowly taking his pants off and tossing them aside. Fidgeting with the neck of his shirt, Tweek closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Everything was still numb, including his mind at this point. Grunting as he shook his head, Tweek tugged his shirt over his head and tossed that aside as well. When he grabbed the NASA sweatshirt, he felt electricity dance up his arm, the scent of Craig wafting onto his face. Crawling into the warmth of his bed, he tugged the blankets up over his head, enjoying the darkness he was swallowed up in. Maybe he could get some sleep under the safety of his blankets. Closing his eyes, Tweek let his body relax, but his mind didn't seem to get the same message. Thoughts danced around his head, some about that kiss in the elevator, some about what would've happened if he had gotten off the elevator, some about what Craig would have _done to him_ if he had gotten off the elevator. With a grunt of frustration, Tweek tossed the blankets off his head, grabbing his phone off the end table that sat behind his head. He scrolled through his messages until he found Craig's name, quickly typing out a message.

 _Why did you do that? Why did you kiss me and then just leave like that?_

Tweek let his fingers dance on the back of his phone, glancing over at the clock on his desk. _Eleven forty six._ He sighed, staring at the ceiling as he patiently a waited a reply. Five minutes passed. Then ten. Twenty. Finally, after almost a half an hour, he felt his phone buzz, quickly lifting the screen to his face.

 **Because I knew if I didn't stop myself, I might've done something else.**

Tweek read the text over five times, his heart beat ringing in his ears at this point. Quickly, he typed a response.

 _What do you mean "something else"?_

Tweek continued his restless waiting, tossing and turning as he waited for another reply. Ten minutes later, his screen lit up.

 **You know what I mean, kid. Don't make me spell it out.**

Staring at his screen, Tweek slowly sat up in bed, hugging the sweatshirt a little closer to his chest.

 _Why didn't you?_

Craig's response was almost immediate.

 **I want the first time I fuck you to mean something. I want to take you out first, show you off a little, then bring you back to my place and just really give it to you.**

Tweek's hand flew to his mouth to stop the moan that escaped his lips, setting his phone aside and leaning over so his face was buried in the comforter of his bed. He couldn't stop himself from grinning, lewd thoughts running through his head as he flopped backwards onto his back. He quickly dialed Craig's number, pressing his phone to his ear as he slid a hand into his boxers. He didn't even let Craig speak as he answered the phone.

"What are you _doing to me_?" Tweek breathed out, toes curling slightly as he wrapped a hand around himself. Craig chuckled, one of those ones that was so deep in his throat, Tweek barely heard it.

" _Breaking you down, kid. I just want you to really want this by the time I get to finally fuck you_." Tweek let out a choked groan, turning his face into the pillow as he gripped his cock tighter.

"F-Fuck you, Craig, this isn't fair. I have to-to see you tomorrow after everything that's happened tonight." Tweek choked out, eyes struggling to stay open as he continued to jerk himself off.

" _You don't think I took that into consideration? I'm not a fucking idiot, Tweek."_ Tweek swore he heard a soft grunt come from Craig, Tweek imagining him sprawled on his bed in a similar position as Tweek.

"What are you doing right now?" He whispered, Craig letting out a breathless laugh.

" _I'm jerking off, what do you think I'm doing?"_ He grunted, Tweek whimpering softly.

"M-Me too."

" _I just can't get you out of my fucking head, kid. God, why'd you have to waltz into my life and ruin me so quickly?"_ Tweek smirked a bit, letting out a shaky breath as he squeezed his hand.

"I-I ruined you, huh?"

" _Yeah, because I can't stop thinking about fucking you over my desk in the middle of class. Do you know how hard it is to stand in front of a class and teach when you're hard? It's impossible, Tweek."_ Tweek whimpered at the thought, one that he's thought about so many times but never gets tired of. He's thought about Craig keeping him after class, locking the door after everyone as left. He's thought about being pushed to the desk, hips hitting the edge and Craig kissing him. He's thought about Craig turning him around once he's naked, bending him over the edge of the desk and fingering him. He's thought about Craig taking his tie and using it as a gag, then using his belt to bind his hands together. He's thought about Craig holding onto the excess belt as he mercilessly fucks him over the edge of the desk, Tweek yelling, but the sound's muffled from the gag in his mouth. He's thought about Craig's other hand pulling on his hair, making him yell even louder. He's thought about Craig spanking him so fucking hard that he's left with bruises. He's thought about Craig. Craig. _**Craig**_.

" _Craig!"_ With a shout, Tweek tugged the sweatshirt off his stomach, biting into the pillow as his orgasm was ripped from him. He could hear Craig chuckle

" _That's a good boy."_ He cooed, the sentiment relaxing Tweek's shaking limbs as he tried

to catch his breath. Not long after that he heard a low growl and a groan, Tweek whimpering softly as he realized Craig came on the other end of the phone. It fell silent after that, bated breath the only sound between the two. Swallowing hard to wet his dry mouth, Tweek stood slowly from his bed to wipe himself off with his towel, grimacing as he did so. After he crawled back into bed, he curled up on his side, phone to his ear.

"You okay?" He whispered, a soft hum filling his ear.

" _Yeah, kid. I'm okay."_ Craig whispered back, Tweek's eyes falling closed.

"You want to take me out you said? Show me off?"

" _Yeah. How does Friday night sound?"_ Craig said between chuckles, Tweek grinning. He turned his head into his pillow to stop his giggles.

"Yeah…yeah, Friday works." Tweek could practically feel Craig's smile against his cheek through the phone.

" _It's a date."_

* * *

 _You're going on a date, kid, you're really going on a date_.

Tweek has been repeating this sentence to himself all day, his leg bouncing all day due to excitement. He couldn't concentrate on his professors in class because he was too focused thinking about another professor. Once he was finally home, he quickly started planning what outfit he wanted to wear. Craig hadn't given him too much information on the date, just to wear something comfortable and casual. About an hour into planning his outfits, he got a text message from Craig.

 **Pick you up around seven, kid.**

Tweek's heart fluttered in his chest, a grin on his face as he typed a reply.

 _Sounds good_!

Resuming his planning, Tweek stared into his closet, wondering what he could possibly wear that would be comfortable and casual, but also drive Craig up a wall. Tweek was a man on a mission. The mission? To get fucked by his professor tonight. After what felt like forever, Tweek decided on jeans, white Converse (that were so dirty from partying, he wasn't even sure if they could be considered white anymore), and an orange turtleneck sweater that hugged his curves just right. By the time he felt confident enough with his outfit choice, he glanced at the clock. _Six forty two._ Tweek let out a yelp, grabbing his jean jacket and rushing out his bedroom. Kyle and Stan looked up from their video game, Stan smirking.

"Where the fuck are you rushing off to?" Tweek grabbed a banana, wanting to eat something in case they weren't going somewhere with food. After taking a bite, he looked at Stan and Kyle.

"A date!" He said around his banana, Kyle blinking.

"Wait, _what_?!"

"A date! I have a date!" He said again, taking another big bite of his banana.

"Dude, Christ, don't choke!" Stan laughed.

"Stan, no gag reflex!" Tweek snorted, finishing off his banana. Kyle paused the game, looking at him.

"Is it with-"

"Yes! Look, I might not come home tonight so don't panic, alright?" Tweek said, cheeks already heating up.

" _Jesus_! Finally! Christ, dude, I was wondering when you two were gonna fuck! He's been staring you down in class for _weeks_ now!" Stan cheered, leaning forward and grabbing his beer off the coffee table. Tweek let out a yelp, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. He pressed it to his ear after he accepted the call.

"Hey!"

" _I know I said seven but I didn't hit any traffic, so I'm here."_ Craig chuckled, causing Tweek to snort.

"I'll be down in a minute." He said, hanging up. In three big strides, Tweek crossed the room to throw his peel out, jumping as he walked passed the couch when Stan smacked his ass.

"Go get 'em, tiger!" He laughed, Kyle laughing as well. Tweek let out a whine of embarrassment. _God, I wish Wendy was here this weekend_. _Out of all the weekends to go home._ Shutting the door behind him, Tweek made his way downstairs, rocking on his heels as he rode the elevator down. Once in the lobby, Tweek felt his heart speed up as there was only one set of headlights on in the parking lot. Pushing the door open, Craig was leaning against the side of his car, cigarette between his lips. _Oh sweet Jesus_. He wore jeans and his red Converse, a tight white t-shirt on with a flannel over top. He looked incredible. He looked like comfort. He looked like Criag. The blonde slowly made his way over, blushing as he heard Craig whistle after taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Damn, kid. I'm really into this all denim look." He practically purred, Tweek blushing a bit.

"You don't look half bad yourself." Tweek breathed out, his breath forming in a puff in front of his face. It was freezing tonight. Craig nodded his head towards his car.

"Get in, Tweek, it's freezing." He chuckled, Tweek rushing to get into the car. Once inside, he sighed, the heat welcoming him with open arms. A comfortable silence filled the car, Tweek looking out the window as Craig started driving. Once they were on the road, he looked over at the man escorting him tonight.

"Where are we going, anyways?" He asked, Craig grinning slowly around his cigarette.

"Bowling, kid."

* * *

Tweek looked down at his feet, the bowling shoes feeling ridiculous on him. After careful consideration, he hummed as he realized they didn't look _that_ bad with his outfit. Glancing up at the screen, he snorted when he saw the name Craig put in for him.

"I'm starting to think you call me _kid_ because that's how you see me." He said, standing next to Craig. Craig glanced down at him, smirking.

"Listen, _kid_ , it's your nickname, alright? I play by nicknames only." Tweek hummed thoughtfully.

"Fine! Move over." He said, nudging Craig out of his way with his hip. He typed in a name for Craig, the man next to him snorting.

"I hate you." He laughed, taking a sip of his beer. Tweek grinned, taking a sip of his own beer. _Kid_ and _Grandpa_. It was quite the combination. Setting his beer down, Tweek grabbed a bowling ball, looking over his shoulder.

"Okay, ground rules! We each get _one heckle_ per frame! So you have to choose whether or not to heckle on the first roll or second! Second rule! You can't touch the bowler if they're bowling!" Craig grimaced.

"You're no fun, kid!" Tweek stuck his tongue out at him, Craig smirking as he took a sip of his beer. The first roll was fine, Tweek satisfied with the seven pins he hit. Craig grinned slowly as he saw Tweek take a few steps to roll his second time. "Heeeeeey batter, batter!" Tweek let out a yelp as he let the ball go, whipping around and running over to Craig.

"You fucking suck!" He laughed, punching his arm. Craig grinned, grabbing Tweek's wrist.

"Hey, no touching the bowler! Your rules!"

"I don't see you over there bowling, _grandpa!"_ He laughed, Craig rolling his eyes with a smile as he stood up. Tweek grabbed his beer from where he set it, crossing his legs as he watched Craig. His movements were so fluid, so natural. Tweek was so distracted by Craig, he was tossed back into reality by the crack of pins being knocked over. Craig plopped down next to him with a smirk, shrugging.

"Looks like grandpa is kicking your ass so far." He teased, Tweek narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, you're so _dead_ to me." The blonde laughed, standing up to bowl. When it was Craig's turn again, Tweek knew he needed a real good distraction for Craig. **Thinking quickly as** Craig grabbed the ball, he grinned slowly as he thought of the perfect distraction He watched Craig, waiting for the perfect time. Just like Craig did to him, he waited until he took a few steps before letting out a breathy moan.

" _Oh, fuck me, daddy!"_ Tweek slammed his hands over his mouth to stop himself from laughing as the ball went into the gutter, **Craig whipping around**. His face was flushed and a mischievous look crossed Craig's beautiful eyes. Tweek couldn't hold back the laughter anymore, doubling over as Craig marched over to him in five big steps.

"Oh, you're going to play _dirty_ aren't you, kid?" He murmured, Tweek grinning up at him.

"Bowling brings out the best in me." Tweek said between giggles, Craig smirking at his joy. They played a total of two rounds of bowling, their stomachs growling by the end of it. After returning their shoes, they both walked outside, Tweek looping his arm through Craig's. His face was dusted a light pink. They walked a few blocks down to a small pub, sitting down at a table to get a late dinner of sorta. After ordering a drink and some appetizers to split, Craig hummed as he thought.

"You totally cheated on that last game."

"How can I cheat at bowling?!"

"I don't know how you did it, kid, but you did." He teased, slowly inching his foot towards Tweek's. Hooking his ankle around his, he watched Tweek's face shift slightly, a soft hum escaping the blonde's lips.

"You're unfair." He whispered, sipping at his drink.

"What do you mean?"

"I always feel so…I don't know…I guess _inexperienced_ when I'm with you." He admitted, Craig frowning.

"Why do you feel that way?"

"Well," Tweek tapped his fingers against the table. "I just…well, you _are_ nine years older than me. That's nine more years of experience that I don't have. I-I've never had a boyfriend and I've never…seen someone more than once."

"What do you mean you've never seen someone more than once?"

"I…every single instance I've had sex has been a one night stand…I don't know what real intimacy is supposed to feel like." He admitted, face a dark red. They thanked the waitress as she dropped off their food, Tweek pulling a few fries out of the basket.

"If it makes you feel any better, I haven't dated anyone in over three years." Tweek hummed a bit.

"Why is that?"

"Last guy I was with was manipulative," Craig said, taking a sip of his drink. "We were on and off for two years and after evaluating my relationship with him…I realized he was manipulating me into being with him. I was over it, so I broke it off. He just…kind of turned me off from dating. I felt like I couldn't trust anyone." He explained, Tweek nodding to let him know he was listening.

"What changed?" He asked, dipping his mozzarella stick into the marinara before taking a bite. Craig watched him for a second, smirking slightly as he chuckled.

"You." He murmured, Tweek blinking as he looked at him. He swallowed his food, setting the other half down.

"W-what?"

"You came along, kid. I've never met anyone like you. You're the most…Christ, I don't know how to word it…you're the most…unique, kind, thoughtful, caring, nurturing, funny, intelligent, and _beautiful_ person I've ever met…inside and out." He said, Tweek feeling his face flush.

"For a guy who sends some hot and dirty texts, you really know how to charm a guy with some romantic shit." Tweek admitted, Craig letting out a laugh as he ate a mozzarella stick.

"I'm old fashioned, what can I say." Craig said with a shrug, causing Tweek to grin.

"You really are a grandpa, Tucker."

They ate in a comfortable silence after that, their feet tangling together under the table. Tweek would giggle every now and then, Craig smiling at his reactions to his simple game of footsie. As they finished eating and drinking, they sat there a little longer talking before paying and getting up. Once in the comfortable silence of Craig's car, Tweek looked over at Craig as he lit up a cigarette, but quickly looked away as Craig looked at him. Craig stared at Tweek, smile on his face. He quickly turned his attention forward as Tweek looked at him, inhaling on his cigarette. Tweek watched the way his face hollowed slightly when he inhaled, grinning slowly as he watched. The car started, the heat calming to his stiff, cold skin. The blonde quickly turned his head away as Craig looked at him again, chuckling softly.

"Do you want to come over, kid?" He murmured, voice already affected by the nicotine. Tweek didn't say anything, but nodded his head. It was a silent answer, but he knew that once he was in the security of Craig's apartment, he would be anything but quiet for the rest of the night. Craig chuckled, smirking slightly around his cigarette. He leaned over, cigarette dangling from between his teeth as he ran a hand over Tweek's thigh. The nicotine was overwhelming to Tweek, his head spinning as he tried to focus on Craig. Or maybe his head was spinning because of Craig's touch. He wasn't sure. Craig chuckled by his ear, Tweek whimpering slightly as he squeezed his thigh hard. "I want you to make a decision on the ride home," Craig growled, Tweek swallowing hard. The addition of nicotine made his voice _heavenly_ to Tweek, the raspy quality sending jolts straight to his cock. Craig tugged the cigarette out of his mouth, that same hand going back to Tweek's thigh. "I want you to decide if you want me to fuck you _real slow_ when we get to my place," He purred by his ear, Tweek's eyes closing as he tried to calm himself down. The heat of his cigarette returned to the side of his face, and along with the warmth came that _growl_. "Or if you want me to fucking _destroy you_ tonight," Tweek let out a whimper, his hand covering his mouth to keep himself from moaning. Craig chuckled, sitting back in his seat.

"What…what i-if I want both options?" Tweek squeaked out, daring not to look at Craig. He couldn't look at him. He was going to combust. Craig hummed in thought, shifting the car into gear.

"One or the other." Tweek swallowed hard, his head spinning once more as he let out a shaky breath.

"S-Second one. P-Please. _Please_ , I-I want to be f-fucked so bad." He choked out, leaning his head back against the seat of the car as he shifted in his seat. Craig smirked, glancing over at the blonde in his passengers seat. He was already painfully hard, but that's okay. That just meant he gets to fuck Tweek faster once home.

"Christ, you really know how to get me going, kid. I love a man who really knows how to _beg_ for cock."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Oh ho ho my children, the long awaited spiciness will happen next chapter ;) Sorry for the wait! School has been kicking my ass since we're wrapping up the semester here and I have not been taking care of myself like I should, so I've been passing out earlier than I normally stay up lol. But I apologize for any mistakes in this chapter/if it seems super jumpy! Besides that, I hope you enjoyed reading and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	9. Lesson 9: Sex Ed

Car rides are agonizing when you're painfully hard, Tweek has discovered, and it doesn't make it better when the person causing said hardness is the driver. They rode in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable, just _very tense_. The sexual tension in the air was making Tweek's head spin, the blonde barely registering when the car stopped.

"Come on." It was a simple demand from Craig, and Tweek dumbly nodded as he followed the man inside the apartment complex. The elevator felt like it was moving through molasses, Tweek wanting desperately to kiss the man so close to him. He could smell the cheap beer and nicotine on him. The soft _ding_ of the elevator made him gasp, Craig stepping off without a word. Swallowing hard, Tweek followed him down the hall, Craig unlocking the door and letting Tweek walk in first. The blonde let out a shaky breath, slowly walking in and looking around. He's been here twice, but each time still felt like the first. There was still so much to see, so much to learn about Craig. Suddenly, Tweek's wrist was grabbed, tugging him backwards. His back slammed into the now closed door, firm hands gripping his wrists and pinning his hands above his head. Green eyes searched the blue and brown eyes in front of him, nothing but lust and desire meeting his gaze.

"A-are you sure about this?" He whispered, his voice so small. Craig hummed, running his thumb lightly over Tweek's wrist.

"Kid, I've thought about fucking you since that night we had McDonald's in the coffee shop." He murmured, pressing his hips against Tweek's. He was officially pinned between a rock and a hard place, but this rock was Craig's dick pressing into his lower abdomen. Tweek bit his lip, whimpering softly.

"Okay…"

"Are _you_ okay with-"

" _Yes_." Tweek breathed out, back arching slightly off the door. Craig laughed softly at his eagerness, gripping his wrists a little tighter.

"If at any point you need me to stop, just say the word," Craig explained, and he meant it. Tweek could see the seriousness in his face, nodding slowly with wide eyes. Once Craig knew he understood, he leaned down, capturing Tweek's lips with his. The kiss started slow, both men reacquainting themselves with one another. Their last, and only, kiss was so rushed. They wanted to really draw this one out. Within minutes, Tweek could already feel Craig applying more pressure to his lips, tongue darting out to lick at his bottom lip. Whimpering softly, Tweek parted his lips, moaning at the taste of nicotine. Craig bit down on his lower lip, grunting. "My room." He demanded, Tweek nodding once more as Craig let his wrists go. Taking long strides, Tweek followed Craig down the hall to his bedroom, the blonde taking a moment to glance around. He couldn't believe it. He was in his _professor's bedroom_. He was about to be _fucked_ by said _professor_. Tweek heard the door close behind Craig, the blonde shivering as he felt a set of hands slide up under his shirt from behind. Letting his eyes drop shut, Craig let his hands dance over Tweek's freckled skin, eventually grabbing the bottom of his sweater and tugging lightly. Tweek got the hint, lifting his arms so Craig could take it off. Suddenly, Tweek felt so exposed, so vulnerable. Something about it was such a turn on it him, but he had also never felt so _young_. Here he was, about to sleep with a man who was almost ten years older than him, and he's only ever experienced one night stands. Craig has had _relationships_ , something Tweek wishes he had more experience with. Swallowing his nerves, he leaned his head back against Craig's shoulder, his hands returning to run over Tweek's now exposed torso.

"What are you going to do to me?" Tweek whispered, the blonde humming as Craig turned his head to nuzzle his nose lightly into his cheek. The gentle moment was quickly replaced by Craig sliding a hand down to Tweek's pants, reaching down and palming him gently through his jeans. Surprised by the sudden touch, Tweek let out a moan, arm flying up to grip at Craig's hair behind him. The raven haired man licked his lips, looking at the man falling apart against his chest.

"I'm going to have you strip down for me. I want to look at you naked because I've fucking _dreamed_ about seeing you sprawled across my bed. Then I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want to you, and I'm not telling you ahead of time," He lifted his hand off Tweek's crotch, grabbing a fistful of his hair and tugging on it so he was forced to look at Craig. Tweek whimpered when he saw his face, a dark, lustful look painted across it. " _Understand_?" He growled, Tweek whining in his throat as he nodded. With a smirk on his face, Craig shoved Tweek forward, the blonde falling onto his back and bed. Tweek looked up at him with wide eyes, Craig raking his eyes up and down his naked chest. "Take your fucking clothes off, kid." He said, Tweek letting out a shaky breath as he took his pants off. When he got to his underwear, he looked up at Craig, the man nodding his head once to signify " _those too"._ Slowly sucking in a breath, Tweek closed his eyes as he took his boxers off, suddenly feeling embarrassed about himself. When Craig didn't say anything for a while, he opened his eyes to find the man just staring at him.

"C-Craig?"

"Don't fucking talk." He mumbled, but it wasn't angry. It was almost as if he was in awe of the man in front of him, and if Craig was being honest, it wasn't far from the truth. Tweek's freckles went further down than he had anticipated, the sight making his cock twitch in his pants. Shrugging his flannel off, Craig grabbed Tweek's hips, tugging him closer to the edge of the bed. He enjoyed the way the blonde gasped, so submissive to everything Craig did to him.

"P-Please… _please_ , Craig. I-I need you." Craig sucked in a breath slowly, tongue darting out over his lips. He hummed as he ran his fingertips over his jaw, rubbing at his chin as he thought. Walking over slowly to his closet, he searched through it until he found what he wanted. Craig could feel Tweek's eyes burning into the back of his neck, but he didn't mind it. He liked making him wait. Making him beg. He enjoyed the way the blonde sprawled out on his bed whined when he saw the ties in Craig's hands, legs kicking with excitement and anticipation.

"Sit up," Craig said, Tweek slowly pushing himself up. He pressed the tie to Tweek's mouth, the blonde opening it enough for the tie to be inserted as a gag. His green eyes danced over Craig's face, full of eagerness and desire as Craig tied the tie into a secure knot behind his head. "Hands behind your back." Even with the gag in his mouth, the throaty groan Tweek let out still sent jolts of arousal to Craig's aching cock. He moved to tie Tweek's hands behind his back, smirking as he stepped back to admire the blonde in front of him. Tweek's face was flushed red, lips still swollen from their kiss. With his arms tied back, it put his chest on full display to Craig, and he decided he couldn't take it anymore. He pushed Tweek so he was lying back down, the blonde shifting slightly to get used to his arms behind tied back. Craig tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it aside and crawling up Tweek's body, eyeing his cock as he passed it.

" _P-Please_!" Tweek managed to get out, toes curling as he craved some form of physical contact. Craig reached up, wrapping his hand around Tweek's throat. He enjoyed the look of joy that crossed the blonde's face.

"I put the gag in your mouth for a fucking _reason_ , now _shut up_." Craig growled, gripping lightly on his throat. Tweek grinned around the gag, eyes rolling back slightly as he whined. As much as Craig would like to let this go on and on for hours, he needed to fuck Tweek. _**Badly**_. He let his hand drop from his throat, reaching over and rummaging through his night stand. Finally, after finding the bottle of lube and a condom, he turned his attention to Tweek's chest, sucking lightly at the freckled skin there. He felt a laugh vibrate through the blonde's chest, stopping his movements as he heard him speak around the gag again.

" _Magnum_?" He choked out, Craig looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't want the fucking condom breaking, now do you?" He chuckled, an amused smile on his face. The sight made Tweek's chest ache, but he shook his head to answer Craig's question. "Now _shut up_ ," Returning his attention to Tweek's chest, he sucked lightly at his nipple, Tweek whining around the gag. The blonde gasped softly when he heard the cap to the lube open, breathing heavily as he waited. _God_ , he has dreamt of this moment for almost three months. Here he was, sprawled naked, bound, and gagged on his professors bed, and Tweek was about to get fucked. _He has never felt so alive._ Craig buried his face into Tweek's neck, sucking at the sensitive skin there as he coated his fingers with lubrication. After he felt his fingers were coated enough, he moved his face above Tweek's, wanting to watch the man's face as he fingered him. His green eyes were so wide, so ready, so _eager_. It was so _hot_ to Craig. Moving his hand down, Craig took one finger and slowly traced Tweek's entrance, the blonde jerking slightly before his breathing got heavier. _God, he's so eager_. Craig hummed, his other hand stroking Tweek's hair gently. "You're so fucking beautiful like this," He slowly pressed a finger in, Tweek's eyes rolling back as he groaned. "So broken. So undone. All because of _me."_ Craig growled, a mischievous grin on his face. Tweek's hips jerked down, trying to fuck himself on Craig's finger. His hands were tingling from lying on them, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered in the world except for Craig Tucker fingering him. Slowly, Craig added a second finger, scissoring them gently as he curled his fingers in search of his partner's prostate. Finally, after a few minutes of listening to Tweek moan, the blonde's eyes snapped open as he let out a yell of pleasure, back arching off the mattress as he gasped.

" _Nnngh!"_ Tweek shouted around the tie, legs squirming as Craig grinned at him.

"What do you want?" He took the hand that was stroking Tweek's hair and tugged the gag out of his mouth, the blonde gasping sharply.

" _Y-You_!" Tweek practically sobbed, tears already pricking the corners of his eyes. Craig wasn't even _inside_ of Tweek and the blonde was already a total _mess_.

"What about me? What do you want _from me_?" Craig growled, scissoring his fingers still and curling them inside of Tweek. The blonde yelled out in pleasure once more, face turning to try and bury into the pillow. Craig resisted the urge to lean down and lick at his newly exposed skin.

" _Y-You!_ I want-I want you t-to _fuck me_!" He cried out, Craig humming as he took his free hand and unbuttoned his jeans, Tweek's eyes opening as he heard the groan of his zipper. He started at Craig's crotch, watching the man undo his jeans. Slowly but surely, with one hand, Craig managed to get his jeans off, only the thin fabric of his boxers standing between Tweek and his cock. Fingers still working, Craig glanced up at Tweek's face, staring at him as he took his boxers off. Tweek's mouth fell open slightly as he moaned, _finally_ seeing Craig's cock after all this time of imagining. "O-Oh _fuck_." He breathed out, gasping as Craig settled between his legs.

"How're your arms, kid?" He asked, fingers slowing down. Tweek let out a shaky breath, eyes half lidded.

"Asleep, but fine." Tweek whispered, shooting him an assuring smile. Craig hummed, raising an eyebrow. He pulled his fingers out slowly, gripping Tweek by his hips.

"Flip onto your stomach." He demanded, Tweek whimpering softly. Before he moved, Craig reached up and tucked the gag back between his teeth, Tweek smiling slightly around it before flipping onto his stomach. He sighed at the relief on his arms and hands, eyes fluttering shut as he felt Craig's hands knead at his ass.

"Mmm." Tweek hummed, a grin crawling across his face as he pressed his ass further into Craig's grip.

"Look at you… _begging_ for me to fuck you like a good boy." He purred, leaning forward and pressing gentle kisses to the back of Tweek's shoulders. Smirking against his skin, Craig lifted his hand up, bringing it down hard on Tweek's ass. The blonde yelled out in pleasure into the pillow.

" _F-fuck!"_ He choked out, Craig catching the glimpse of the grin on his face.

" _God,_ you're such a cock slut." Craig chuckled, grabbing the condom and ripping the package open. Tweek turned his head, looking at Craig. Knowing he wanted to say something, Craig pulled the gag out enough for him to speak.

" _O-Only for you_." The blonde growled out, Craig blinking at the sudden tone in his voice. Grinning slowly, Craig shoved the gag back in his mouth, groaning as he rolled the condom on.

"F-Fuck you, kid." He choked out, stoic demeanor faltering. He had a grin on his face as he knelt on the mattress, tugging Tweek up onto his knees by his hips. His face was still buried in the pillow, hands behind his back. It was a beautiful sight, Tweek presenting himself like this to Craig. The raven haired man kept his grip on Tweek's hips as he pressed the tip of his cock against his entrance, Tweek's eyes closing as he whimpered softly.

" _Please_." He breathed out around the gag, eyes opening to look back at Craig over his shoulder. The man hummed, the grip on Tweek's hips tightening as Craig slowly eased his way in. Gasping sharply, Tweek turned his face into the pillow, letting out an embarrassingly loud moan. Except he wasn't embarrassed. He felt confident. He felt good. He felt _sexy._ Craig leaned his body forward, pressing a light kiss to center of his back.

"I got you." He murmured against his skin, feeling how tense Tweek was around his cock. He decided to not move further for a few moments, sitting upright once more. Craig ran his hands up Tweek's sides, fingers dancing over his freckled back and slowly brought them back down. His hands traced the shape of his ass, Craig glancing up at Tweek. The blonde was staring at him with half lidded eyes, giving him a curt nod. Craig slowly moved his hips back, Tweek whimpering at the sudden loss. Suddenly, Craig moved his hips forward, slowly adding more of his cock, inch by painful inch. It was agonizing to Tweek. He just wanted all of Craig's dick in him already. Arms twitching, he tried his best to knock the gag out of his mouth, eventually moving it enough to get what he needed to say out.

"Just _fuck me!"_ He yelled in frustration. His frustration was quickly replaced with pleasure, Craig's hand coming down hard on his ass once more. That same hand grabbed a fist full of Tweek's hair, pulling on it. The blonde gasped, Craig leaning forward and pressing his mouth near Tweek's ear.

"I didn't fucking tell you to remove that gag." He growled, the hand previously on his hip now gripping the excess tie that bound his hands. Tweek whimpered, swallowing hard.

"I-I'm sorry." He croaked, yelping as Craig tugged on the excess tie in his hand.

"Louder." He growled, thrusting his hips forward.

" _Fuck_! I-I'm _sorry_!" Tweek yelled, screwing his eyes shut. _God_ , it felt so good. So big. So _full_. Craig let out a grunt, pushing the gag back into Tweek's mouth. He kept holding onto that excess tie with one hand, the other hand reaching out and steadying himself on the headboard. Before he really started to move, Craig took a moment to look at Tweek. His eyes were closed as he waited so _patiently_ to be fucked, fingers twitching slightly from anticipation. He took Craig's cock like a champion, Craig admiring the way his slightly reddened ass looked against his tan skin. Tugging his hips back, he quickly snapped them forward, enjoying the sounds Tweek started making as he began _mercilessly_ fucking him. Tweek buried his face into the pillow, his throat starting to feel raw from how much he was yelling. He felt _incredible_. No one has ever treated him quite like this before, and knowing it was Craig behind him making him feel this way was _mind numbing_. The room was hot. It smelt like sweat and sex at this point, but neither seemed to care, especially Craig.

" _Fuck_ , you take my fucking cock so well," He growled, Tweek gasping as he was tugged into an upright position by Craig from his grip on the tie. Tweek's legs were shaking as he had a leg on either side of Craig's thighs, his cock wet with pre-cum. Craig pressed a kiss to the back of his shoulders, reaching his hand around and wrapping it around Tweek's neglected cock. The blond moaned loudly around the gag, Craig letting go of his grip on the tie around Tweek's hands and pulling the gag down around Tweek's neck. "I want you to fuck yourself on my cock. I want to _hear you_." Craig instructed, beginning his process of jerking Tweek off. The blonde let out a choked sob, a grin on his face as he quickly slid off Craig's cock. Turning around, Tweek felt his heart ram against his ribcage as he finally got a good look of Craig. He was lying down now, dark hair sticking slightly to his forehead. The iris of his blue eye was hard to make out from how blown his pupils were, a lazy smile on his face as he watched Tweek line himself up against his cock. Craig gripped at his hips, helping him sink down onto his cock.

"O-Oh _God_." Tweek moaned, eyes fluttering shut. He started to slowly fuck himself, Craig gripping at his hips for a while to support him. Once a steady rhythm was found, he removed his right hand to wrap it around Tweek's dick, the blonde gasping sharply as Craig started jerking him off once more. Craig watched him, enjoying the plethora of sounds that fell from those pretty pink lips of Tweek's.

"How else do you want to be fucked, baby?" Craig asked, Tweek nearly cumming at the sound of Craig using the term _baby_.

"M-Missionary. Please." He said, Craig humming.

" **You're going to** need to convince me more than that." He purred, hips snapping upwards and catching Tweek by surprise. The blonde practically screamed in pleasure, back arching as he tried to tug his hands free.

" _P-Please, daddy!"_ He cried out, Craig reaching back and undoing his hands as quickly as he could. Once they were free of their bindings, Tweek tossed his arms around Craig's neck as he pushed up into a sitting position. The raven haired man pressed his lips _hard_ against Tweek's, the blonde whining into his mouth as they fell backwards. Wrapping his legs around Craig's waist, Tweek kept his lips attached to his as the man above him continued his assault on Tweek. It was _exhilarating_. Reaching an arm up, Tweek grabbed one of the posts of Craig's headboard, the wooden fixture slamming into the wall. His other hand was tugging at Craig's hair, the blonde moaning loudly by Craig's ear. Tweek's face sat comfortably in the crook of Craig's shoulder, pressing kisses to said tattooed shoulder between his outbursts.

"You're such a good boy. So _good_." Craig grunted, hands gripping hard at Tweek's hips once more. When Tweek opened his mouth to speak, a loud scream of pleasure was ripped from his throat as Craig _finally_ found his prostate, the blonde letting out a cry.

" _O-Oh FUCK!"_ He cried, tears forming in his eyes. Craig smirked against the side of his face, keeping his hips angled like that as he continued to pound himself into Tweek. The blonde couldn't stop the noises from coming out of his mouth at this point. " _D-Daddy, please!"_ He sobbed, tears openly falling down his face. Craig pressed a kiss to his cheek, humming.

"Please _what_ , baby?" He murmured, Tweek's legs kicking into the air.

" _Please m-make me cum, daddy!"_ He screamed, back arching off the mattress as he let out a cry. Letting his grip on his hips go, Craig pushed himself up onto his left hand, the other reaching down **to stroke Tweek**.

"Only because you _begged_ me to," Craig said, Tweek gasping for air at this point. His head was spinning as he tried to focus on Craig's face, mouth moving to try and form some sentence. Craig could see he was struggling, but he could also see his movements were becoming more erratic. "It's okay, baby," His grip on Tweek's cock tightened, pulling his hips back slowly. " _Cum for me_." Slamming his hips forward one last time, Craig watched as Tweek tossed his head back, his name being ripped from his throat as he sobbed through his orgasm. The sight was enough to push Craig over the edge, the man letting out a yell as he came inside of Tweek, the blonde whimpering as he felt his partner's cock twitch inside of him. As Craig pulled himself out of Tweek and collapsed next to him on the bed, the room fell silent.

Heavy breathing was the only sound heard, Tweek's eyes closed as he tried to stop his racing heart. They sat there like that for five minutes before Craig only moved to take the condom off and toss it aside. Even then, Tweek made no effort to move or look at Craig. He laid close enough to Tweek that he could feel the warmth coming from his skin, but neither looked at each other still. They didn't know it, but they were both now staring at the ceiling, too afraid to look at each other. What if they looked at each other and it didn't _feel_ the same? What if it is just strictly sexual? What if any romantic feelings had diminished? _Just do it. Look at him_. As if on a timer, both men slowly turned their heads to look at each other. As soon as eye contact was established, a grin crawled across each of their faces, breathless laughter escaping their lips.

"H-Holy shit." Tweek giggled, still panting slightly as his heart still rhythmically thudded against his chest. Craig let out a similar breathless laugh, running his hand through his hair as he rolled on his side to face Tweek.

"Christ, kid, I-I didn't know you had it in you." He breathed out, still panting as well. Tweek laughed, rolling onto his side to face Craig.

"You've still got a lot to learn about me, C-Craig." Tweek said, the man across from him laughing once more.

"Come on, get in bed." Craig chuckled, slowly standing up. He tossed the condom and the wrapper in the trash, walking out into the kitchen. Tweek crawled under the covers while he was gone, Craig coming back a minute later with two water bottles and a cigarette between his lips. Tweek snorted, accepting the water bottle.

"I've never had refreshments after sex." He teased, taking three long gulps from the water bottle. Craig snorted, tucking the cigarette behind his ear while he drank his water.

"You're such a brat," Craig laughed after he set his water bottle aside, placing the cigarette back between his lips. He reached over into his night stand, grabbing an extra lighter he had and lighting up his cigarette. Tweek hummed as he watched him, his messy hair and flushed cheeks making him look even more beautiful to him. Craig laid down on his back, extending his arm out. "C'mere, kid." He murmured, cigarette dangling from his mouth. Tweek hummed, scooching himself over and settling against Craig's side. The arm that was extended out came down, his hand resting on Tweek's back. Tweek's arm laid across Craig's stomach, his leg hitched over Craig's and resting between his. Nuzzling his nose into the side of Craig's neck, Tweek felt the gentle thrumming of his pulse near his nose, the sensation making him tired.

"Craig?"

"Hmm?" The smell of nicotine increased in the room, Tweek assuming Craig exhaled.

"…thank you." Tweek breathed out, Craig inhaling slowly. As he exhaled, he glanced down at the mop of blonde curls nestled against him. Chuckling softly, Craig let his cigarette dangle from his fingers, arm hanging over the edge of the bed. He tilted his head down, pressing a few gentle kisses to the top of Tweek's head. The hand resting on his back ran up and down his spine gently, trying to get him to fall asleep. Once Tweek's breathing evened out against his neck, Craig smiled to himself, putting his cigarette out in the ashtray on his night stand. He glanced down once more at the man asleep against him, his own eyes dropping shut as he hummed in content.

"It was my absolute pleasure, kid."

* * *

 **NOTE:** This is 4,289 words of pure smut and I used to get flustered thinking about writing smut three months ago. I honestly blame all of you! You turned me into this (not that I'm complaining) ;). I apologize for any mistakes, I am very tired and really wanted to get this up! But I hope you enjoyed these kinky boys and their first time and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	10. Lesson 10: Discussion Board

Tweek doesn't remember ever sleeping in a bed as comfortable as Craig's. In fact, Tweek isn't sure if he's _ever_ slept in a bed that is more comfortable than Craig's. Blinking his eyes open, the room was still pretty dark, a sliver of sunlight peaking in through the drawn curtains. He hummed in content, tugging the comforter up to his chin and closing his eyes once more. Feeling the bed shift behind him, Tweek hid his grin in the comforter as he felt an arm slide around his stomach from behind, hand resting on his hip as his thumb stroked gently along Tweek's hip bone.

"I knew you were someone who slept in." Craig grumbled behind him, nose nuzzled into his shoulder. Tweek chuckled, the vibration surely within Craig. His chest was pressed against Tweek's back.

"What makes you say that?"

"Considering whenever you text me at night it's almost midnight, that's what makes me say that." Craig said between soft laughs, voice still groggy from sleep. Tweek bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, not wanting to encourage Craig's antics. It was too early for that. Well, too early for Tweek on a Saturday. Craig started peppering his freckled shoulder with gentle kisses, his breath tickling Tweek's sensitive skin. Humming softly at the contact, Tweek let his eyes flutter open, Craig making it very obvious he wasn't getting anymore sleep.

"Need I remind you I am a junior in college. I _live_ for all-nighters." He teased, Craig chuckling against his skin.

"I hate to ask you this because _I love_ lying here like this with you…but would you be opposed to making us coffee?" Craig asked, Tweek rolling over slowly in Craig's grip to face him. Their nose bumped together playfully, grins on both their faces.

"Hmm I supposed I could. What's in it for me?" Tweek said, Craig's tired eyes darting back and forth with the tilting of his head as he thought.

"I'll order food for us. Lazy day in bed." He proposed, Tweek humming as he thought about the proposition.

"Damn. You know I'm a slut for free food." He giggled, Craig letting out a laugh. Pressing a quick peck to Tweek's lips, the raven haired man nuzzled his nose into the freckled cheek of his partner, Tweek snorting.

"What do you want to order?" Craig asked.

"Do any breakfast places deliver?"

"That diner we went to actually delivers."

"I want chocolate chip pancakes, please and thank you!" Tweek giggled, wiggling out of Craig's grip and rushing to the kitchen. Craig turned his head to watch him leave the room, chuckling to himself as he ran his hands down his face. How did he get himself so wrapped up with one of his students? He wasn't complaining, he just never thought he'd be someone who'd do this kind of thing. Sure, Craig has known colleagues that have slept with students, but he never thought he'd join that club of professors. But Craig wasn't doing it to help Tweek get a better grade. He was doing this because he was _genuinely interested_ in Tweek, and that scared the ever living shit out of Craig Tucker. Tweek returned about ten minutes later, a cup of coffee in each hand. Craig had forgotten they went to bed naked, humming as he really took in the sight of Tweek in the dimly lit room. Soft, freckled stomach that Craig wanted to lay his head on. Thick thighs that Craig wished to worship at some point. Even some love handles that called out to Craig to touch. To put it simply, he was perfection, at least to Craig. Tweek sat in bed next to him, Craig pushing himself up to sit against the head board while Tweek held out the NASA mug to him with a grin. "I figured this was your favorite mug." He said, Craig smiling softly as he took the mug.

"You would be correct, kid." Craig murmured, taking a sip of the scalding liquid. It burnt, but it felt good. _Tasted_ good. Even with the shitty coffee maker he has, Tweek still managed to make the best cup of coffee. Tweek crawled back under the covers, sitting up against the headboard with Craig as he sipped at his own coffee.

"Did you order?" Craig nodded slowly, humming.

"How…how are you real?" Tweek blinked.

"E-Excuse me?"

"How are you _real_? I have the shittiest coffee maker ever and you still made an amazing cup of coffee…how?" Craig asked, curiosity on his face. For once, it was Craig asking Tweek questions, and Tweek kind of liked the change.

"Well…I just did what I normally do! Even though you had the coffee grounds already pre-bought, the process is still the same!"

"I think you're just a fucking wizard or some shit." He said, Tweek grinning around his mug. That sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying their coffee. Tweek's mind was thinking back to things he knew about Craig, things he still wanted to learn about Craig, things Craig told him about but didn't give a lot of information on. Finally, he blinked, looking up from staring into his coffee mug.

"You said you traveled through Europe." Tweek suddenly said, Craig blinking as he glanced up from his own cup of coffee.

"I, uh, yeah I did."

"What…where did you go? What did you do?" He asked, setting his mug on the night stand that was on his side of the bed. Craig ran his tongue over his teeth as he thought, setting his own mug aside.

"I started in Spain. It was April, so the weather was okay, warming up. It was beautiful there. I stayed in Barcelona. I was there for two weeks before I moved into France. As clichéd as it sounds, I stayed in Paris while there. The food was some of the most incredible food I had ever had. As a coffee connoisseur, you should visit. Their pastries? _Fuck_ , I still think about them. I stayed in Paris for two weeks as well, but then I went to Germany, specifically Berlin. Their beer? _Amazing_. They know how to have a good fucking time in Germany. I partied a lot while I was there, and I don't regret it at all. Again, after two weeks, I went to my final destination of Rome, Italy."

"Final destination, huh?"

"Well…my grandmother immigrated from Italy when she was fourteen, so I'm _really_ Italian. Like spaghetti out the nose Italian." He said, Tweek snorting.

"Spaghetti out the _nose_?"

"Sì, gli spaghetti fuori dal naso." Craig chuckled, Tweek's eyes widening.

"Y-You-"

"Speak Italian? Yeah." Craig grinned, enjoying the fact he was able to catch the blonde off guard. His phone started buzzing on his lap, Craig standing as he pressed the phone to his ear. As he spoke, he tugged on a pair of sweatpants that were hanging over the edge of his hamper, Tweek blinking as he watched Craig leave the room. He heard the front door shut, suddenly remembering. _Food_. Soft _clinks_ came closer to the door, Tweek smiling as Venus came into the room.

"Hey pretty lady," He cooed, the big ball of fluff jumping up onto the bed. Quickly licking at his cheek, Tweek grinned as he tried to turn his face away. "I know, I know we probably kept you up last night," He giggled, Venus plopping down against Tweek's side. He rubbed the side of her stomach gently, the sound of the front door shutting echoing behind Craig as he reentered the apartment. When Craig came into the door way, he froze, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Well…this is a nice sight to come back to." He said, Tweek smiling as he set the back of food at the foot of the bed.

"She came in not long after you went downstairs," Tweek thanked Craig as he handed over his food, Venus lifting her head as she saw it. "This isn't for you." Tweek said, kissing her snout before she dropped her head back down. Craig sat back in bed, taking a bit of the French toast he ordered.

"So, a'yw'ys, contin'ng on." Craig said with a mouthful of food, Tweek coughing slightly as he nodded.

"Yes! You just, dropped the fact you speak Italian and then _bolted_!" He laughed.

"It's my dad's mom, so she spoke Italian with him and he spoke Italian with us. He isn't from Italy, so he doesn't have an accent, but my grandmother does, obviously. She had always showed me so many beautiful pictures of Rome from her short time there. I always wanted to go, see where she came from. Since I knew Italian, it was easy for me to get around. I just…I ended up staying there for almost two months. I found some relatives of my grandmother's and they were more than happy to house me so I didn't have to keep paying for hotels. Of course, I jumped at this opportunity. I didn't…I didn't want to go home." He said, voice trailing off. Tweek noticed the look that crossed his face, frowning slightly.

"Why…why didn't you want to go home?" He asked, voice soft. The air in the room shifted, suddenly feeling heavier and more depressed compared to the carefree and positive vibes that were there just minutes ago. Tweek could see Craig's jaw clenching, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"…Because my mom was diagnosed with cancer while I was gone," He murmured, poking at his food. Tweek didn't say anything, just slowly exhaled through his nose. "I mean…I left because _I_ had my own cancer scare. I left to explore life, see the world, everything that we were meant to see! I just…felt so guilty about leaving while my mom had been sick the whole time and I didn't even know it. I was too afraid to go home…too afraid to see her so… _weak_." Craig's jaw clenched once more, moving side to side as he ran his tongue lightly over his bottom lip.

"Well…like you said, you didn't know. You can't beat yourself up for that, Craig." He whispered, placing his hand gently on Craig's wrist. The man was so tense under Tweek's delicate touch, so different from the confident, stoic man Tweek has come to know. Tweek soon realized that Craig Tucker didn't look like _a_ _man,_ because in that moment, Craig Tucker looked like _a boy_.

"It still doesn't make me feel any better about being away. Thankfully…thankfully it was only stage two breast cancer," Craig swallowed hard once more. "I flew back about a month after she told me the news. I hated seeing her like that. My mom is the strongest person I know. Seeing her so… _weak_ , so _sick_ …it made _me_ sick."

"Craig, we don't have to keep talking about this." Tweek breathed out, seeing how tense and upset he was getting. Blinking suddenly, Craig looked up at Tweek, those multicolored eyes searching Tweek's face.

"I… _shit_ , I'm sorry I just…I-I kind of space out when talking about that…" He admitted, face flushing a dark red. Tweek bit his lip. He's never seen Craig so… _emotionally raw_. He felt honored in a way that Craig was comfortable enough with him that he shared these thoughts with Tweek. Smiling sadly, Tweek ran his thumb over Craig's wrist, feeling him slowly relax under his touch.

"It's okay. I'm sure it's hard to think about your mother like that, let alone relive it." Tweek assured him, Venus hopping off the bed as Tweek shifted to move closer to Craig. The older man simply nodded, lying his head on Tweek's shoulder. He didn't _mean_ to show so much emotion. He never showed emotion unless he was flirting, teaching, or with the guys. But when it came to his mother, Craig Tucker was a weak son of a bitch.

"Thanks, kid." He breathed out, smiling softly when he heard Tweek speak.

"You're welcome, Craig. Now eat your diner food. It is your comfort food, after all."

* * *

Twenty.

Tweek spent twenty hours at Craig's apartment. He got there at eleven the night before, and left at seven pm that night. Craig dropped him off, Tweek staring at him for most of the ride. After a long, slow kiss goodnight, Tweek walked into his apartment complex, pressing the button for the elevator. As the door opened and a few students emptied out, he slowly entered the elevator, pressing the fourth floor. When the doors closed and the hum of the elevator rang in his ears, Tweek decided he wasn't going to tell anyone anything. He wanted everything from last night on to be between him and Craig. If too much information was let out, they ran the risk of being caught, and that's the last thing either party wanted. After all, it's more fun to sin when no one else knows you're doing it. It's a rush for Tweek, if he's being honest, and he can't wait for his next fix. When the elevator opened, Tweek slowly walked out, tugging his turtleneck up further to cover the hickies on his neck. Humming softly, he put his key into the lock, twisting the key and the door knob once the soft _click_ of the cylinders indicated it was open. Kyle was on the couch when he walked in, head tilted back against the arm. He looked over when he heard the door opening, eyes widening and face flooding with color.

" _S-Shit_! Hey-hey, Tweek!" He gasped, Tweek jumping as a girl's head flew up. Tweek's face blushed bright red, Kyle tugging the blanket off the back of the couch to cover his lap. Pursing his lips, Tweek gave a nod to the two as he slowly closed the door behind him.

"…where are Wendy and Stan?"

"Date-date night."

"And I take it this is Heidi?" Tweek said slowly, the girl giving a sheepish smile.

"Nice to finally meet you." She breathed out, her hair messy from what Tweek can only assume was Kyle guiding her head.

"You, uh, you, too."

"I didn't expect you to come home again." Kyle admitted, tangling a hand into his curls.

"I, uh, wasn't expecting _this_ when I walked through the door." Tweek said through breathless laughter, trying not to smile. It was a comical situation in a fucked up way. Kyle choked back a whine of embarrassment, running his hands down his face.

"I-yeah- _fuck_ -sorry." The red head breathed out, Tweek putting his hand up as a blinder when he walked past.

"I'll be in my room listening to music and or watching Sex and the City with my headphones on at a very high volume so do as you wish with that information!" He yelled out as he walked past, hearing a soft laugh from Kyle as he shut the door. Leaning against his door, Tweek let out a shaky breath, face still hot from the situation he was just in. It's not that he hasn't thought about Kyle Broflovski naked (because he did, when they first met. Tweek had a _huge_ crush on him), he just wasn't expecting it after his own night of sexual escapades. Humming as he thought, Tweek kept his word and put his headphones on, booting up his laptop and starting the next episode he needed to watch of Sex and the City. He listened to it as he got changed, glancing over his shoulder form time to time as he folded some of the clothes tossed about his room. Suddenly, Tweek tensed up, whipping his head around as he heard Mr. Big speak.

" _That's some outfit, kid_." Lunging across the room, Tweek paused the episode, rewinding it to listen to it once more.

" _That's some outfit, kid_." Tweek paused it once more, staring at the face of Christopher Noth with wide eyes. He quickly reached for his phone, tugging his headphones around his neck as he pressed the phone to his ear. As soon as he heard the ringing stop, he spoke.

"Sex and the City." He said, a pause on the other end.

" _What about it, kid?"_ Tweek grinned slowly against the phone, leaning against the edge of his bed as he glanced over at the screen once more.

"That's where you got that nickname from. That's why you call me kid." He explained, Craig chuckling softly into the phone.

" _You've got quite the head on your shoulders,"_ Tweek could hear ice _clinking_ against glass, assuming Craig was drinking something. " _I first heard that nickname used in the show when my mom watched it. I always thought there was something very flirty about it when used towards someone you like a lot."_ Craig said, Tweek's heart hammering against his ribs.

"You…wait, you like me a lot?"

" _Tweek, are you fucking insane? Of course I like you a lot. I haven't had feelings like this for a guy in a long time. I wouldn't have gone out of my way to go to your coffee shop every day for a week if I didn't care for you."_ He laughed, Tweek grinning into his hand as he leaned his elbows onto his bed and rested his face on his hand.

"I…I like you, too."

" _Thank fucking god. That would've made last night weird if you didn't."_ Craig murmured, Tweek snorting into the phone.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I have an episode of Sex and the City to finish." The blonde mumbled, pushing himself off the edge of his bed and back over to the pile of clothes he was folding.

" _Sleep tight, kid_."

Tweek grinned as he hung up the phone, pressing play on his laptop before picking up the pile of clothes and putting them on his bed. Sitting down, he began folding his clothes again, stomach fluttering each and every time a certain character said his nickname.

* * *

Monday was a dreary, cold, and rainy day. Sitting behind the counter of the coffee shop, Tweek was doodling in his notebook as he tried to pass the time. He glanced up to his laptop every now and then, headphones over his ears as he watched Sex and the City some more. He was getting close to the end and wanted to finish it before he went home for fall break. The volume was low enough that he heard the bell _cling_ when the door was pushed open. Turning his attention to the shop door, Tweek felt his cheeks heat up when the person behind the umbrella closed it, Craig smirking slightly at him as the door shut behind him.

"It's a shame no one knows about your coffee, kid. I'm sure a lot of people would really appreciate a good cup of coffee on a day like this." He chuckled, shaking his umbrella out gently over the little carpet he was on. Tweek rolled his eyes with a smile, setting his headphones on top of his now closed laptop.

"I enjoy my quiet days at work, thank you very much." Craig raised an eyebrow at him as he walked over to the counter, chuckling as his eyes crossed over the menu.

"Cappuccino?"

"You're changing it up."

"Oh, you're gonna love this then," Craig tapped his fingers against the counter. "Make it _for here_." Tweek gasped, leaning his chin on top of his clasped hands.

" _For here_?!" He breathed out, Craig snorting as he flicked his forehead.

"Yeah, kid, now hop to it." He laughed, Tweek grinning as he slid off the stool and started making his coffee.

"How were classes today?" He asked Craig over his shoulder.

"Agony. I've discovered I like teaching much more when there's a cute blonde boy with thick thighs and a tight ass in the back row to stare at." Craig said, Tweek letting out a yelp as he dropped the cup in his hand. Slowly, Tweek looked over his shoulder, glaring at Craig.

"You're annoying sometimes, you know." He spat, Craig holding his hands up in mock defense.

"Hey, I'm just talking."

"Yeah, talking out _your ass_." Tweek groaned, pushing some of the larger pieces aside with his foot so he could get to the machine. Craig smiled, leaning his elbows against the counter.

"It's true though," He licked his lips, laughing softly. "It's nice having an excuse to stare at you for an hour and fifteen minutes," Craig grinned as he watched Tweek's face flush bright red, his hands shaking as he poured the milk and foam into the espresso. When Tweek brought the cup over, Craig gently placed his hand on top of Tweek's once the cup was on the counter. Running his thumb over the top of Tweek's hand, he used his other hand to grasp Tweek's chin. "You okay?" It was the most simple question, yet Tweek found himself unable to answer it.

"I…y-you just…make me nervous sometimes…" He admitted, shuffling from foot to foot. Craig hummed, glancing down at the coffee.

"You shouldn't be nervous. It's just me."

"But that's why I'm nervous. It's _you_." Tweek breathed out, looking at the tanned hand on top of his.

"Why?" Craig asked, the thumb on Tweek's jaw running up and down the gentle curve of it.

"You…you're just… _you_ and I'm just… _me_."

"And what's wrong with you?"

"I…well, I just…the other night when we… _fucked_ …you stared at me for a while once I was naked." Tweek said slowly, mind flashing back to the image of Craig standing between his legs as they hung over the edge of the bed and he just _stared_ at him.

"I was staring because I couldn't believe you had been hiding all of _you_ from me," Craig chuckled, Tweek blinking and looking up at him. "I think you have an incredible body, Tweek. Don't sell yourself short. You've got a curves people would kill for." He said, looking down at the cappuccino. He hummed when he saw a heart in the foam, Tweek blushing when he saw Craig looking at it.

"I-I…sorry." The blonde choked out, but gasped when warm lips pressed to his cheek.

"Don't be sorry. It's great, kid," Craig smiled, sliding a five over the counter to Tweek. "I don't need the change." Tweek smiled a bit, tucking the change into the tip jar.

"If you go sit I'll be over in a few. Gotta-gotta clean up that dropped cup…" He said, Craig nodding and going to sit in his usual table. After Tweek swept up the broken glass, he walked out from behind the counter, Craig staring out the rain covered window with his hand in the handle of the cup. Once Tweek slid into the seat across from him, Craig turned his attention back to Tweek.

"I still don't understand how you make coffee the way you do."

"What, good?"

" _Yeah_." Craig laughed, Tweek grinning at that. No matter how many times Craig would complement him on his coffee, he would never get used to someone thinking his coffee was the eighth wonder of the world.

"You keep complimenting my coffee every time you drink it. Aren't you tired of telling me the same thing over and over again?"

"I'll tell it to you every day if I have to get it through your thick head that _you make good coffee_ ," Craig chuckled, the blonde's cheeks turning red once more. They sat in silence, listening to the soft pitter patter of rain on the roof and windows. They were snapped out of their daze when Craig's phone started buzzing on the table, the man blinking as he saw the name. "Hello?"

" _Hey, uh, what are you doing right now_?"

"I'm getting coffee after work. You know I do this pretty much every day, Tricia." _Tricia_. Tweek thought back into the groove yard of his mind, remembering that was his sister's name.

" _How fast do you think you can get to Denver? I need you to-"_ She paused, Craig blinking as his eyes widened when he heard her grunt.

"Tricia, are you-"

" _In labor? Yeah. This fucking baby is coming a month early, bro."_

* * *

 **NOTE:** I just wanna say you guys are so worried about me and I appreciated that but please know I'm okay! :) I really do appreciate the concern! It's kind of nice knowing so many people on the internet love and support me, even if I don't know all of you personally. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We're approaching a major plot point in the next five chapters or so, and I'm warning you now, you need to prepare yourselves for this one ;) I hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	11. Lesson 11: Self Actualization

**From:** _ctucker_

 **To:** _macroeconomicssections1-6_

 **Subject** : _Classes this Week_

 _So,_

 _Classes are cancelled all week because my damn sister decided to have her baby an entire month early. She's now yelling at me that she did not_ _ **decide**_ _to have the baby an entire month early, the baby just happened to come. Both her and Maura (the baby) are fine, but they have to stay here all week to monitor them both since my niece was born, like I said,_ _ **a month early**_ _. Attached are some pictures because I'm a fucking uncle now and I gotta start showing my niece off._

 _-Craig_

Tweek grinned slowly as he read the email the following morning, opening the attached images in the email. One was of Tricia, looking tired but happy with a very tiny baby girl on her chest. A second picture looked very similar to the first, except Tweek assumes one of Craig's parents took it since Craig was in the picture, flipping Tricia off (who happily returned the gesture). The final image made Tweek's chest ache it was so sickly sweet to him, the picture of Craig grinning at the sleeping baby in his arms with Tricia leaning her head on his shoulder. It was so simple, yet so romantic in a way to Tweek. Not expecting anything out of it, he shot Craig a text message.

 _Your sister is glowing in those pictures._

Cheeks heating up, Tweek set his phone down as he crawled out of bed to get a shower. Upon his return, he checked his phone, smiling as he read the two texts Craig sent him.

 **I didn't think I could be this in love with a girl. I clearly just hadn't met the right little lady.**

 **Speaking of ladies, could you maybe watch Venus for me this week? I'm staying in Denver until Saturday when they leave. Bring her to your place so you don't have to go back and forth if you want to.**

Reading the text over a few times, Tweek couldn't believe that Craig was asking _him_ to watch Venus. Not Clyde. Not Token. Not Jimmy. _Him_. Composing himself, he grinned as he sent back a text.

 _I'd love to! How can I get into your building?_

He waited about five minutes before getting out of bed to shower, his phone full of messages from Craig upon his return.

 **There's a code you can enter on the main door.**

 **Mine is 42069 (I'm original, I know)**

 **Once inside, if you go to my floor, there's a spare key in a little lock box by the door. The code is the same to open that one (42069, in case you forgot)**

 **Her food is in the kitchen by the fridge. It's not too heavy anymore since most of it is gone, but there's more than enough for the week in there.**

 **She also has a toy she likes. It's often by my bedroom door. It's like this stuffed rabbit thing she just likes to chew on.**

 **Oh! Her leash is hanging by the door as well.**

 **When it comes to feeding, I give her two cups of food in the morning before leaving, once when I come back, and then right before bed (I know you're a night owl like me, so it works out great)**

 **But don't be afraid to text me if you have any questions, kid.**

As Tweek finished reading the texts, he snorted, the amount of thought and detail Craig put into each text almost… _endearing_. He dialed Craig's number, putting it on speaker as he started drying off.

" _My texts were too confusing weren't they?"_

"Well, hello to you too, Mr. Brand-Spanking-New-Uncle." Tweek chuckled, Craig laughing softly on the other side of the line.

" _Hey, kid. But were my texts-"_

 _"_ Craig, they're fine!" Tweek laughed, tugging the NASA sweatshirt (that was losing the smoke and cologne smell from being washed) over his head.

" _Okay, sorry, I'm really fucking tired."_

"I was gonna say you sound rough, but I wasn't sure if that was insensitive or not." He teased, tugging on jeans before taking the phone off speaker and pressing it to his ear.

" _Just…it was a long night. Lots of worrying for both Tricia and the baby. My brother-in-law was a mess."_

"I could imagine. How's he doing?"

" _He's doing fine now. He's asleep actually. Tricia is trying to eat something before going to bed."_

 _"_ Where are you at?"

" _Taking a walk outside the hospital. I needed some air."_ Tweek bit his lip at how monotonous Craig was. Sure, he already had a monotone voice, but something was off.

 _"_ Are you sure you're okay? You sound…I don't know… _sad_."

" _Yeah…no, I'm good. Just…a real long night_ , _kid_." He assured, Tweek humming softly.

"Alright…alright, fine. Well listen, I'm gonna go so I can go get your dog."

" _Like I said, kid, don't hesitate to call if you have any questions_." Craig reminded him, Tweek nodding to himself.

"Would you appreciate some dog pictures?"

" _I'd appreciate them yes. However, I'd love some dog pictures with a certain cute barista I know with her in said pictures."_

* * *

It was odd being back in Craig's place without him being there, but Tweek managed to get everything for Venus and drive back to his place in just over an hour. He liked watching her look out the window in the back seat, head tilting at the slightest of noises. Once safe in his apartment, he let her wander around while he carried everything up from the car and into his room. Upon entering the apartment on his trip up with her supplies, Kyle and Stan had already discovered Venus.

"Where the fuck did you find this ball of fluff?!" Stan cooed, rubbing her head while Kyle pet his back.

"Her name's Venus. She's Craig's dog." He explained, walking past to drop everything off in his room.

"You're dog sitting?" Kyle chuckled, looking up once Tweek walked back out.

"I mean, yeah! He asked me to, I don't see why that's such an issue."

"It isn't…just… _peculiar_." He teased, Tweek rolling his eyes as he sat in the recliner. Wendy came out of her room, blinking.

"Why is Craig's dog here?"

"Tweek's dog sitting." Stan and Kyle said at the same time, Tweek turning a dark red.

"He asked me to, okay?!"

"He didn't ask one of his friends?" She asked, sitting at the end of the couch closest to the recliner.

"I was surprised when he asked me, because I thought he would've asked Clyde or some shit." Tweek said, picking at a loose string on the sleeve of the NASA sweatshirt. There was a lull in the conversation, Wendy nodding her head slowly as she watched her boyfriend and Kyle play with Venus.

"He really likes you, Tweek." Wendy eventually said, Tweek blinking at how sincere yet serious she sounded. Unsure on how to respond, Tweek just swallowed hard, tugging the neck of the sweatshirt up to cover his face from the nose down. How could Craig like him? Sure, he's said it to his face, but that doesn't mean that can't change in the blink of an eye. He sounded so distant over the phone. Maybe he was trying to cover up the fact that he suddenly lost interest in Tweek? But then why would he ask him to watch Venus?! Why would he bound and gag him and fuck him like there was no tomorrow just last weekend?! Why would-

"Tweek?" With a sharp gasp, Tweek was thrown back into reality, blushing more as Kyle stared at him.

"I-yeah?" He breathed out, Kyle smiling sadly.

"You're overthinking again. Try to breathe for me, okay?" Thank god for Kyle, Tweek's unofficial therapist. Following his instructions, he breathed in for four seconds through his nose, and exhaled for six seconds out his mouth. He continued this process that Kyle taught him freshman year, eyes closing as he finally felt the anxious pins in his chest disappear. "There you go. What were you thinking about?"

"Craig…it's _always Craig."_ He choked out, throat constricted with emotion. Tweek's mind is constantly filled with the thought of Craig. His stupid smile, those pretty eyes, the way he licks his lips when he's thinking of what to say, how he twirls his pencils still when teaching, the way he dresses, how he carries himself, how beautiful he looks when smoking a cigarette. It all seemed unfair to Tweek.

"What about him?" Stan gently asked, Tweek reaching out to pat Venus as she wandered past.

" _Everything!_ I-I get this like…tight feeling in my chest whenever I think about him?" It came out more like a question than Tweek had hoped for, but his roommates understood.

"How else do you feel?" Wendy asked, Tweek swallowing hard.

"Like…I can be myself around him. I can-I can ask him anything. I think about the way his eyes crinkle when he thinks or when he licks his lips when he isn't sure what to say next. I think about how he smiles at me whenever he walks into the coffee shop and I-I think about how _good_ it feels to kiss him. I think about all the ways he's made me laugh and all the ways I've made him laugh. I can't help the-the crushing feeling that sits on my chest whenever I'm with him and I-I get butterflies _every single time_ I look at him! I- _fuck_ -I don't know! He's always on my mind and it's so _frustrating_ sometimes!" Tangling his fingers into his hair, Tweek pulled his legs up onto the recliner, burying his face between his knees. The room was silent, Tweek's shaky breaths the only sound heard. Slowly looking up, Tweek blinked as his roommates stared at him, small smiles on their faces. "W-What?" He whispered, too afraid to speak louder than that. Kyle glanced between Wendy and Stan, both nodding their heads gently towards him. The red head stood up, walking over and squatting down in front of the recliner and gently coaxing Tweek's hands out of his hair. The gentle smile Kyle gave him reassured Tweek that he was okay, but he blinked at the red head as he heard him speak.

"Tweek…you're in love."

* * *

It took Tweek Tweak exactly three months to fall in love with Craig Tucker. After Kyle told him he was "in love" Tweek immediately denied it. He wasn't even sure what _love was_. He's never felt that strongly about anyone, but that's exactly why Kyle said he was in love: because he's never felt this way about anyone. The thought kept him up all week, and when the following Tuesday rolled around, Tweek realized that he was most definitely, one hundred percent in love with Craig Tucker. Walking into class that day with Wendy, Kyle, and Stan not far behind, Tweek's face immediately heated up at the sight of Craig. His feet were propped up on his desk, usual red Converse replaced with dress shoes for once. Black pinstripe pants that stretched over his long legs beautifully, suspenders attached to them as Tweek followed the fabric up to his torso. A simple white dress shirt with a black tie stretched across his chest, and Tweek wanted nothing more than to have Craig fuck him in front of the class. Let everyone know that Tweek was Craig's, and Craig was Tweek's. _Is he yours though?_ Shaking the intrusive thought away, Tweek silently slid the thermos across Craig's desk, walking immediately to his seat while making sure to swing his hips a little more. His phone immediately buzzed as he sat down, blinking as he tugged it out of his back pocket.

 **Fuck you, kid. I haven't seen you for a week and this is how you're gonna treat me?**

Tweek glanced up from his phone, swallowing the whimper in his throat as he saw the look Craig was giving him. Reluctantly breaking the gaze, he sent a message back.

 _You're one to be talking. Do you know how badly I want you to fuck me over your desk right now?_

Immediately turning his gaze back up front, Tweek bit his lip to stop from grinning as he saw Craig cover his mouth, dragging his hand down his jaw slowly.

 **Don't fucking do this to me.**

 _What? You did this to me during the midterm. Payback's a bitch, isn't it, Mr. Tucker?_

Tweek's heart was going a million miles a minute, well aware that Wendy could glance over at any moment and see him practically _sexting_ _their professor_. Thankfully, Craig set his phone down, more than likely trying to calm himself before he has to stand up and teach. That's the beauty about all of this to Tweek: he's slowly learning what gets Craig off. A few minutes later, Craig stood up, Tweek swallowing hard once more as he got a full look at his outfit. It was agony, if he was being honest, sitting there and having to stare at Craig for the full hour and fifteen minutes. He didn't let them out early, partially because of the two classes they missed last week, and partially because Tweek knows Craig's doing this to piss him off. And man, was he getting pissed. When Craig _finally_ let the class out, Tweek jumped a bit as he heard Wendy speak.

"We're gonna get some lunch if you wanted to join." She said, standing up. Tweek stood with her, slinging his backpack onto the chair to pack it up.

"I'm okay, thanks Wendy. I'm feeling tired and might go home and nap before doing some homework." He lied, shooting her a small smile. Wendy hummed, patting his head as she walked past.

"Sleep tight, cutie! Maybe we can get dinner tonight!"

"Sounds good!" He said, watching her leave with Stan and Kyle. The blonde made sure he was purposefully in the back of the line of kids making their way out of the room, Craig standing by the door and giving a nod to each student who wished him a good day. As Tweek approached the door, Craig reached a hand out, palm against his chest. Without breaking eye contact with Tweek, he slowly shut the door after the last student walked past him, Tweek letting out a shaky breath as he heard the soft _clunk_ of the lock on the door. Slowly, Craig took a few steps forward, hand planted against Tweek's chest as the blonde backed up, letting his backpack fall from his shoulders as they walked. Neither said anything, but they knew what to do. Tweek gasped when his hips hit the edge of his desk, ears ringing as he hoped and begged that his fantasy would _finally_ come true. _Please, please,_ _ **please**_ _fuck me over the edge of this desk_. Placing his hands on Tweek's hips, Craig dug his fingers into the tender flesh, hoisting the blonde up onto the edge of the desk. He spread his legs apart, standing between them. Their faces were so close, Tweek able to smell his cologne as their noses bumped together. Silently, Craig ran his hands up under Tweek's sweater, eyes never leaving his as he tugged said sweater up with his traveling hands. Tweek got the idea, lifting his arms up so Craig could take it off. The raven haired man slowly took a step back, eyes raking over Tweek's body. A wave of insecurity came over Tweek, arms slowly wrapping around his stomach to hide the love handles he has.

" _No_." Craig practically growled, grabbing Tweek's wrists and tugging his arms away. The blonde blinked, eyes widening slightly as Craig eased him back onto the desk.

"C-Craig, I-"

"I haven't seen you for a week. I'm not letting you hide your body."

"But… _why_?" Tweek asked, Craig's façade faltering slightly when he heard how curious Tweek actually was. Humming into the quiet room, Craig leaned down, placing gentle kisses across Tweek's collar bone and chest. The blonde shivered underneath of him, his lips warm against his chest. Carefully, Craig tugged Tweek's shoes off, eventually doing the same for his pants and underwear after undoing his belt. _God, I'm so exposed again_. Squirming under Craig's touch, Tweek let out a nervous sigh, trying to enjoy the moment, but finding it hard.

"Hey," Craig's voice snapped him out of his daze, breath shaking as he felt Craig's hands slide up and down his sides. "You trust me, right?"

"…More than anything."

"So relax, okay? I got you. I promise." He whispered, left hand coming up to brush the hair off Tweek's forehead. The notion was so gentle, yet so intimate to Tweek, so he let the tension slowly roll off his shoulders as Craig resumed kissing at his body. He made his way down, moving lower and lower and even past Tweek's cock. It wasn't until Tweek felt the kisses on his thighs he realized Craig's destination. Looking down, Tweek whimpered slightly at the sight of the man between his legs, Craig's eyes half lidded as he stared back up at Tweek and kissed at his thighs. Strong, tan hands gripped tightly at the pale freckled skin, Tweek letting his legs drop over top of Craig's shoulders as he knelt down. A yelp escaped his lips as Craig grabbed him by his hips, tugging him closer to the edge of the desk. He started nipping lightly at the inside of his thighs, moaning softly against the skin.

"I just want to fucking worship you." Craig murmured, Tweek's eyes fluttering shut at those words. He tangled a hand into Craig's hair, encouraging him to do whatever he wanted at this point.

"T-Then do it. Please. _Fuck_ , I've missed you so much." Tweek whispered, propping himself up on his elbow so he could watch Craig. The man laughed softly against his thighs, grip tightening on them as he looked up at Tweek.

"Want me to eat you out?" It was such an easy question to answer, but Tweek could only respond with a soft whine, his arm falling out from under him as he sprawled on his back. Grinning against his thigh, Craig's grip tightened even more, fingers digging into the delicate flesh as he pulled Tweek closer to him. He slowly slid his hands down, grabbing Tweek's ass and spreading his cheeks open. He took a moment to just look up at him, the blond's chest heaving from anticipation. It wasn't until Tweek slammed a hand over his mouth that Craig really knew that this kid was it for him. The muffled moans coming from him fueled Craig even more, tongue swirling around his rim gently.

" _F-Fuck, oh god_." The blonde mewled, the sounds adding to Craig's arousal. His tongue continued to work, dipping in gently as he moaned. He did this until his lips were flush with Tweek's skin. The sensation sent sparks up Tweek's spine, the blonde gritting his teeth as his back arched up off the desk. Tweek has only been given a rim job once, and it wasn't the best experience. Something about the way Craig does it…well, to put it simply, it was mind numbing. Craig could feel Tweek's toes curling against his back, pulling himself away slowly and kissing at Tweek's thighs again.

"Stand up." He growled, Tweek scrambling to stand as Craig did as well. Without a word, Craig spun Tweek around, hand planted firmly against his back as he pushed him forward. It was back: that sensation that over took Tweek a few weeks ago when Craig fucked him for the first time. A grin crawled across Tweek's face as he glanced back at Craig, his moans breathy but low.

"F-Fucking use my belt to whip me." Tweek demanded, Craig blinking suddenly.

"You-"

"Don't fucking ask questions, just _do it_." He whined, pressing his bare ass against Craig's clothed dick. The raven haired man grunted, pressing his hips forward to relieve some of his arousal. Quickly reaching down, Craig grabbed Tweek's discarded jeans, tugging the belt out of the loops before placing his hand gently on Tweek's ass. He hummed as he rubbed a hand over his right cheek, giving it a squeeze before taking a step back.

"You're so _eager_."

" _Craig_." Tweek whined, knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping the edge of the desk.

"What do you want?"

"P-Please…please just spank me with that belt."

"I want you to really _beg_." He purred, running the leather gently over Tweek's ass. The blonde whined, pressing his ass into the air more.

"G-god _fuck_ , you're being such a dick! P-Please! P-Please just _spank me_!" He cried out, Craig slamming a hand over his mouth. He chuckled near his ear, pressing a gentle kiss to the shell of it.

"You have to remain quiet, okay? Don't want anyone hearing you, now do we?" Tweek let out a shaky breath over Craig's hand, nodding quickly so Craig would just _hit him_ already. Closing his eyes, Tweek bit down hard on his lip, trying his hardest not to cry out in frustration as Craig _refused_ to just hit-

" _NNNGH!"_ Tweek moaned into his closed mouth, gripping the desk harder as he grinned a mischievous grin. The sound of the leather coming down on his ass will forever be in Tweek's mind, along with the sensation that it brought.

"You're such a good boy." Craig purred, bringing the belt down again. Tweek grinned even wider, right leg sliding as his knee gave out. He let out a giggle, sucking in a breath as he looked at Craig.

"Oh _god_ , I love it when you praise me." He croaked out, lurching forward as Craig hit him once more with the belt. He dropped it to the floor with a _clank_ , Tweek gasping as Craig grabbed his hips. Craig glanced down at Tweek's ass, angry red welts appearing. It was _sensational._ He leaned forward and kissed at the back of his shoulders, humming softly.

"Is that so?" He murmured, reaching down and un buttoning his pants. _Oh god oh god oh fuck he's going to fuck me while I'm naked and he's fully clothed oh god_. Tweek nodded, pressing his too hot face to the cool wood of the desk. "I'll have to keep that in mind." Craig murmured, Tweek gasping as he felt the heat of Craig's groin press against him. Whimpering softly, he glanced up at Craig.

"J-Just fuck me raw." He pleaded, legs shaking from anticipation. Tweek let out a whine, Craig slowly circling his finger around his entrance. He pressed his finger in as he tugged his underwear down, humming as the pressure from his pants on his cock was gone.

"Is that what you want, baby?" He asked, Tweek humming as he started fucking himself gently on Craig's finger. He continued to do this when Craig put a second finger in, prepping him.

"P-Please. _Please_ , more than anything. I-I've missed you so much. I've thought about you all week." Tweek whimpered, reaching down to jerk himself off. Craig let him, just watching him for a moment before removing his fingers.

"Suck on my cock." Craig mumbled, Tweek whipping around and dropping to his knees. The sight as too much for Craig, a shaky breath escaping his lips. Tweek heard it, the blonde grinning up at him as he took Craig into his mouth. He listened to him curse, a strong hand tangling into Tweek's hair to guide his head. After a minute, Tweek realized that Craig was keeping him from taking all of him in. _He doesn't remember I don't have a gag reflex_. Pulling off with a soft _pop_ , Tweek looked up at Craig, lips swollen, red, and covered in a layer of saliva.

"You trust me?" He breathed out, batting his eyelashes up at him. Craig swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "Then _relax_." Tweek purred, Craig grunting loudly as Tweek easily took his entire length into his mouth.

" _Christ_ ," Craig breathed out, watching Tweek's head bob up and down his length. It was the most incredible thing Craig had ever seen, even better than those outfits Tweek sent him over text weeks ago. Pulling on his hair, Craig thrusted his hips forward, Tweek moaning around his length. The vibration from Tweek's throat jolted through his entire body, head falling back as he let out a soft groan. Unable to take it anymore, he tugged Tweek off his cock, pulling on his hair again. " _Up_." He grunted, Tweek grinning as he stood up. Craig slid the hand in his hair down to Tweek's right wrist, grabbing it and spinning him around. He pinned said hand behind Tweek's back, bucking his hips forward as he pushed Tweek's face back into the desk.

"P-Please. Please. _Please_." The blonde begged, legs shaking slightly from anticipation. Craig hummed, sliding his cock between Tweek's cheeks gently. The warmth and weight of his cock was so _good_ to Tweek, just wanting him to fuck him raw already.

"God, you're such a good boy." Craig murmured, leaning over him and pressing his clothed chest to Tweek's bare back. The blonde whimpered as he felt the tip of Craig's cock against his entrance, slick from his saliva still.

"'m-m _your_ good boy." Tweek breathed out, eyes fluttering shut as Craig _finally_ pushed himself into Tweek. Craig bit down gently on the back of Tweek's shoulder as he eventually bottomed out, groaning softly against the soft skin.

"That's right, baby." He murmured, Tweek grinning slowly as Craig started to fuck him, his movements slow at first. It felt nice that way. He hasn't seen Craig in over a week and hasn't fooled around with him in almost two weeks, so it was like they were rediscovering each other. Learning what makes each other squirm. All in the comfort of Craig's classroom and bent over his desk. Craig kept his right hand on Tweek's hip, fingers digging into the bone gently while his left hand tangled into the unruly blonde curls. The sensation of cloth hitting Tweek's bare ass was so _exciting_ and _new_ to them both, Tweek letting out soft little _ah's_ as Craig continued to steadily increase the pace.

"M-More." The blonde breathed out, reaching his free hand back and grabbing Craig's ass. The raven haired man grunted, pulling on Tweek's hair as he fucked him harder. Craig stared at Tweek's face, watching his skin flush a darker red the harder he was fucked. A mischievous grin was on his face, his plump, pink lips parted as he panted and let out soft moans. _You're so fucked, Tucker_. Dropping his hand from Tweek's hair, he grabbed his other hip, gripping them tighter. Craig loved making him feel good. Craig loved holding Tweek close to him. Craig loved feeling Tweek under his fingertips. And suddenly, as he felt his orgasm approaching, Craig blinked as he realized something. Leaning down, he bit down on Tweek's shoulder once more, reaching down to stroke Tweek's neglected cock. As Tweek started panting Craig's name, Craig Tucker knew that his realization was correct: Craig _loved_ Tweek. Swallowing the words that suddenly tried to escape his throat, he leaned up and pressed a kiss to the shell of Tweek's ear, nibbling lightly on the lobe.

"Cum, Tweek." He breathed out, the blonde slamming a hand over his mouth as he shouted. Craig screwed his eyes shut as he listened to Tweek's muffled shouts, dropping his head to the crook of Tweek's neck as he groaned, reaching his own climax. Tweek's legs gave out as he felt Craig spill himself deep inside of him, Craig quickly wrapping his right around Tweek's waist to keep him upright as he rode out his orgasm. It took everything within Tweek not to shout three simple words. Three words he so desperately wanted to say but wasn't sure if he should. _I love you._ As the air in the room started to settle, their bated breath filled the silent room, Tweek wincing slightly as Craig pulled out. The man behind him gently coaxed him onto the desk, letting Tweek fall forward against his chest. Resting his chin on top of Tweek's head, he wrapped his arms around him tightly, thumb running gently over the warm skin.

"T-Thank you." Tweek whispered into his neck, wrapping his arms around Craig's chest and gripping at his back. Craig craned his neck down, pressing a gentle kiss to Tweek's head.

"I missed you, kid." He murmured, keeping his face nuzzled into the soft curls. _Everything is soft about him_. Tweek hummed, nuzzling his nose into the side of Craig's neck.

"I missed you, too," He whispered back, closing his eyes. "How's your sister and Maura?"

"Both home now. They're both doing great."

"That's good," Tweek placed a light kiss at the delicate spot where Craig's neck met his shoulder, pulling his head back to look at him. "I can drop Venus off later tonight if you'd like."

"I would _love_ that." Craig chuckled.

"Did you like the pictures I sent?"

" _Adored them_." He breathed out, Tweek grinning up at him. Craig felt his chest tighten at the simple sight, mind reeling. Tweek wiggled his way out of Craig's grip, tugging his clothes back on. Snapping out of his daze, Craig blinked as he tucked himself back into his pants.

"I hate to fuck and go, but I have some homework I need to get done before midnight," Tweek leaned up and pressed a kiss to Craig's cheek, the man smiling tiredly at him. "Give me a call when you're home, alright?" Craig simply nodded, Tweek turning and walking out the door. Swallowing hard, Craig sighed into the quiet classroom as he collapsed into his chair. Pulling out his phone, he slowly dialed his mom's number, closing his eyes as he pressed the glass to his flushed face.

" _This is an unexpected call. Aren't you teaching?"_

 _"_ Not for another hour or so…I…I um, slept with him again." There was a pause. Of course Craig told his mother about Tweek. Craig told his mother everything.

" _Did…did you tell him_?" Her voice was almost a whisper, the sounds in the background quieting. Craig assumed she left the room she was in to go to a quieter place.

"No…I didn't."

" _If you're serious about this kid, Craig, you need to tell him."_

 _"_ I know…I know, mom…I will." He mumbled, glancing up at the clock.

" _How are you feeling_?"

"Tired…angry." Craig pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes.

" _It's normal to feel that way_." Laura assured him, but Craig let out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm just fucking pissed, ya know? Like, how do I tell a guy I just realized I'm in love with this terrible thing that will _break his heart_?"

* * *

 **NOTE:** It's been a hot second, my friends! did you like that hint to the big plot point at the end there? ;) Ya'll are gonna wanna fucking kill me for this plot point, but I'm willing to die for this story ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Ya'll have been sending me ask after ask about when they were going to fuck over a desk, so their reunion fuck was over the desk! This next week will be sparse probably with updates since I'm approaching finals week, but I am hoping to upload a few more times because I die from finals! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	12. Lesson 12: Family Tree

"Come on, cutie!" Tweek giggled as Venus hopped out the back of his car. She knew she was home, and her tail showed just how happy she was. Grabbing the bag he packed filled with her things, Tweek kicked the car door shut, his other hand occupied with her leash. He grinned as he let her lead the way, soft whimpers of excitement coming from the dog as she rushed to the apartment complex. Tweek slid the leash onto his wrist, inputting the code into the door that Craig told him last week. Once they rode the elevator up, Venus practically sprinted down the hall to Craig's apartment, Tweek laughing softly as he jogged to keep up with her. Raising his hand to knock on the door, the blonde blinked as he heard something he wasn't expecting: _drums_. Deciding not to knock, since Craig wouldn't hear him anyways, he took the spare key out of the lock box next to his door, unlocking the door. Venus rushed into the apartment, Tweek letting her leash go so she could go find Craig. The apartment was filled with sound, Tweek stepping in slowly after he put the key back in the lock box. He moved slow, feeling like he'd disturb the music being carried through the house if he moved too fast. After setting the bag on the counter, the blonde followed the sound of the crashing cymbals and heavy bass drum, breath hitching as he turned into one of the spare rooms. There, in the center of the room with his back to Tweek, was Craig. The man was practically hunched over the drum set, arms moving wildly as he just played whatever he desired. He had clearly been doing this for a while, tank top he was previously wearing discarded on the floor besides him, hair sticking to his forehead. Tweek noticed it as he slowly walked to the opposite side of the room.

Craig glanced up when he saw the movement, but he didn't stop. He knew Tweek was here since Venus had ran into the room. He's been playing for over an hour now. He needed a release. Something other than sex for once. His arms were screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't. Screwing his eyes shut, he pushed through the burning pain in his arms, teeth gritting as he tried to finish out the strew of notes in his head. Tweek grew worried when he saw Craig's eyes shut, biting his bottom lip as he slowly stepped forward. Before he could reach a hand out to place on his sweaty back, Craig let his arms drop after slamming the sticks down once more on the cymbals, Tweek jumping back slightly. As the crash echoed through the room, Craig's panting replaced it as the sound faded away. Tweek swallowed hard, shifting on his feet.

"Thanks for dropping her off." Craig mumbled after a minute, bouncing his leg that wasn't resting on the foot petal of the bass drum. Tweek smiled weakly.

"It-it was no problem," He said, biting his lip. "How, uh, how long have you been playing? I didn't think someone could break a sweat playing drums like that."

"Over an hour." He murmured, standing slowly. Tweek swallowed hard, noticing he was still wearing the pinstriped pants from earlier in the day. The very same pants Craig fucked him in after class. The blonde nodded, offering a gentle smile.

"Are you okay?" Tweek breathed out, Craig licking his lips as he thought. After a moment, he nodded.

"I'm fine, kid." He chuckled, smirking at him as he slowly walked past towards the kitchen. Tweek followed, Venus rushing past his legs to follow Craig. The man reached down to pet her, smiling as she flopped onto her back for belly rubs. After grabbing a water, Craig knelt down and rubbed her belly, Tweek humming.

"She was really excited to see you."

"I was excited to see her. I missed her the first few days I was home."

"… _I_ missed you." Tweek breathed out, not knowing what made him say it. Craig looked up, standing slowly. He took a step closer to the blonde, giving his hip a squeeze as he pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

"I missed you too, kid." He mumbled against his skin, Tweek's face heating up from the simple contact and words. Taking a step back, Tweek smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I-I, uh, I won't keep you much longer. I'm sure you want to get to bed, yeah?" Craig glanced over his shoulder to the oven, reading the time. _Eight seventeen._

"It's not _that_ late."

"I-I know but I'm sure you want to shower and-and all that."

"Yeah, I do," He took a sip of his water, raising an eyebrow at Tweek. "Want to join me?" He asked, those beautiful green eyes widening.

"Y-you-I-what?"

"Join me for a shower. We don't have to fuck." Craig shrugged, leaning against the counter top with a soft laugh.

"I-well-I-"

"Tweek," Craig laughed, grabbing his wrists. The blonde gasped, stumbling forward. Cupping his face in his hands, Craig offered a gentle smile, trying to get Tweek to calm down. "Take a breath for me, yeah?" He chuckled, Tweek nodding as he started taking deep breaths. After a minute of doing that, he let his eyes close.

"I-I'm sorry." He breathed out, Craig frowning.

"Don't apologize, kid, it's fine. You okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Sorry, it's just…I've had a lot on my mind lately," He admitted, and it wasn't far from the truth. Tweek has been thinking about school, his parents, his job, and (the most important thing to him, at least) Craig. "I'm just…gonna go. I have some homework I have to finish up." Craig nodded, pressing a gentle peck to his lips without thinking.

"Get home safe, yeah? You work tomorrow?" Craig said as he pushed off the counter, trying not to show his face. He could feel it heating up, thinking about the domestic nature of a peck on the lips. Tweek raised his hand up gently, smiling a bit as he ran his fingertips gently over his lips.

"Yeah I, uh, close tomorrow." He said, slowly making his way over to the door.

"I'll swing through." Craig simply said, biting his lip. _You need to tell him_.

"Sounds good," Tweek chuckled, opening the door. "Night, Craig."

"Good night." _Tell him!_ The door shut, causing Craig to blink and whip his head around. Nothing. No one was there. He lost his chance. _You lost it for today. It's fine._ Shaking his head, Craig made his way down the hall to the bathroom, tugging his phone out of his back pocket and putting a playlist on shuffle as he tugged the rest of his clothes off. The water was cold, but his skin was hot, so it was refreshing. When he was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, Craig tensed up, eyes opening as he heard the song that came on.

 _It's not time to make a change,_

 _Just relax, take it easy_

 _You're still young, that's your fault,_

 _There's so much you have to know_

Craig swallowed hard, biting on his lower lip as he dropped his arms to his side, leaning against

the wall of the shower.

 _Find a girl, settle down_

 _If you want you can marry_

 _Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy_

Sliding down the wall of the shower until he was on the ground, Craig tugged his knees up to his chest once he was sitting. His eyes were wide as he rested his chin on top of his knee.

 _I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,_

His eyes started stinging, chest tightening as he felt his throat constrict with emotion.

 _To be calm when you've found something going on_

 _But take your time, think a lot,_

 _Why, think of everything you've got_

 _For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not_

Slamming a hand over his mouth, Craig let out a muffled sob, screwing his eyes shut as the cold

water continued to run over his skin. _You didn't tell him. You didn't tell him._ _ **You didn't tell him**_.

For the first time in years, Craig Tucker cried himself to sleep that night.

* * *

When Tweek got home the next day, he felt a little…hurt. He really shouldn't be hurt. Sure,

Craig said he would come into the shop and he ended up _not_ showing up, but things happen. He

is a busy man after all, and it is also nearing fall break. Dropping his bag onto his bedroom floor, he plopped onto his bed, closing his eyes as he tried not to let it get to him. There was a light knock on his door after five minutes.

"Come in." He called out, arm draped over his eyes.

"Hey dude." _Stan_. Tweek sat up, giving him a tired smile.

"Hey Stan." He breathed out, sitting up in bed. Stan shut the door behind him, plopping into the beanbag chair in the corner of the room. The last dark haired man to sit in that chair was Craig.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, is everything okay?" Tweek asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine…but are _you_?" He said, the blonde blinking.

"What…what makes you ask that?"

"Well…it's just…I've noticed you and Craig haven't been talking as much this week. I can usually hear you two talking on the phone at night and-and I don't mean to eavesdrop! I just…I don't know, I just wanted to check in, I guess." Stan blurted out, Tweek smiling a bit. Out of all his friends, Stan is the one he had the least in common with. He adores the guy, they just don't have much to bond over. However, Stan has always had Tweek's back and wants to make sure he's okay mentally, and that's why Tweek loves Stan Marsh.

"I'm…well, he has been very distant this week. I mean, I saw him yesterday in class and all, which was great! But even when I talked to him on the phone over the weekend or-or when I dropped Venus off yesterday…he just seemed so… _distant_. Like he isn't telling me something." Tweek explained, Stan nodding slowly.

"How did he act in his apartment?"

"When I showed up, I had to let myself in because when I got there, he was playing the drums."

"Shit, really?"

"Yeah, he said he had been playing for over an hour." Stan rubbed the back of his neck, thinking.

"Maybe something is going on with his sister. I mean, she did just have a premature baby." He said, trying to offer some sort of rational reason as to why Craig could be acting so weird. Tweek blinked, humming as he thought as well.

"Yeah…yeah, that could be it." He mumbled, lying back down in his bed as he continued to think. Stan bit his lip, standing up.

"I hate to bolt, but I told Wendy I'd help her study for an exam she has coming up. You know where her room is if you need us, alright? It'll all be okay." He said, ruffling Tweek's curls as he walked past. After the door closed, Tweek nodded.

"Yeah…" The blonde mumbled into the now empty room. Tossing himself onto his back, Tweek furrowed his brows as he stared up at the ceiling, letting out a sigh. After ten minutes of staring into nothing, he tossed his legs over the edge of his bed, tugging his shirt over his head. Standing, he kicked his shoes off before pulling his jeans down, staring at himself in the mirror. For the umpteenth time in his life, Tweek started poking at his belly and thighs, frowning at himself in the mirror. He reached down, pushing the boxes and shoes that sat in front of the mirror aside. Sitting down cross legged in front of the mirror, Tweek stared at his reflection, grabbing onto the love handles that became more prominent as he sat down. He reached over and grabbed his jeans, taking his phone out of the front pocket, and bit his lip. He had a theory as to why Craig is being distant towards him, but it required him to do something he normally wouldn't do. _Just do it_. Tweek sat himself up straight, continuing to sit cross legged on the floor. He snapped a few pictures of himself in the mirror, face a bright red as he typed out a message to Craig.

 _I missed you at the coffee shop today_.

Yelping as he pressed send, he tossed his phone into the bean bag chair, tugging his legs to his chest as he looked at himself in the mirror. _Oh god oh god. You did it. You sent almost nudes._ Sure, Tweek sent sexy pictures to Craig before, but he wasn't _in his underwear_. He was wearing sexy outfits, not relying on his birthday suit to turn on Craig. A few minutes later, he heard the soft hum of his phone vibrating, crawling over to the bean bag chair. He sat in the chair after grabbing phone, cheeks heating up even more as he read Craig's message.

 **Now I'm really sad I couldn't make it in** _ **.**_

Tweek read the message over a few times, biting his lip. Should he ask?

 _Why couldn't you make it in?_

He bounced his leg as he waited for a reply, but soon stopped as he watched his thigh jiggle. He hated that. Tweek jumped a bit as his phone buzzed moments later.

 **I had something to do after work that took longer than I expected. Believe me, I really wish I could've seen you today. You look so good in just your underwear.**

The blonde grinned slowly, giggling a bit to himself. Okay, so Craig still seemed interested in him. Through careful deduction, Tweek has discovered that Craig _isn't_ acting distant because he was no longer interested. As he crawled into bed after turning off the room light, Tweek blinked as he realized he still didn't know the real reason as to why Craig was acting distant. _So what is it? What's eating at Craig Tucker?_

* * *

One week.

It has been one week and Craig _still_ hasn't told Tweek. It has gotten to the point where it has been keeping him up at night. There were other things keeping him up at night, but they weren't as important as this. Teaching him that Tuesday was agony. He could barely keep his eyes open, even with the generous amount of coffee Tweek always gave him. Plopping down into his chair, Craig pinched the bridge of his nose, looking up at the clock. With a sigh, he dropped his head onto his arms, closing his eyes.

"I'm done. Go." He said loud enough for the class to hear, waving a dismissive hand in the air. Listening to the sound of the college students shuffle out the door, Craig hummed a bit when one set of footsteps slowly approached his desk.

"You're worrying me." His voice was harsh. Craig had never heard him like this. Lifting his head, Craig locked eyes with Tweek, his brows turned downward into a scowl.

"How so?"

"You're not calling me like you normally do, you aren't coming into the shop, you're acting distant, you're tired _all the time_ , and it just doesn't seem like you're taking care of yourself! What _the fuck_ is going on with you?!" Tweek spat, finally reaching his breaking point with Craig. The older man swallowed hard, letting out a sigh. _Just do it. Tell him_.

"Tweek…," _NO! Wait, you can't do it here_. _Not in the classroom, you fucking idiot_! "Can I tell you everything tonight?" He said suddenly, heart dropping to his stomach. _Well, that wasn't really what you wanted to say, but it works_. Tweek blinked, letting out a sigh.

"Why can't you tell me _now_?" The blonde breathed out, eyes saddening a bit. Craig opened his mouth, but shut it, jaw clenching as he figured out what he wanted to say.

"I don't want to say it in the classroom…" Craig said, Tweek blinking once more at him. Closing those green eyes for a moment, Tweek simply nodded.

"Just…fucking call me later." He mumbled, turning and walking out the door without another word. Craig sighed, tangling his fingers into his hair as he rest his elbows on his desk. He scratched at his scalp, trying to figure out the words he so desperately needed to say. _You're going to break his fucking heart_.

* * *

Tweek got a call around seven that night, Craig explaining to him that he was going to pick him up soon. The blonde wasn't sure why he was prolonging the inevitable, but he was just glad he would finally get some answers tonight. Sure enough, about a half an hour after Craig called him, Tweek got a text from him saying he was outside. The elevator ride down felt like an eternity, the _ding_ from the doors opening sounding like a death toll to Tweek. The news could be good!...or it could be not so good. He had been trying to prepare himself for anything Craig could tell him all day, but even with his attempted preparation, it wasn't helping him calm down. Tweek could see Craig parked across the lot, silently getting into the passenger's seat after walking across.

"You look good." Craig said, cigarette hanging from his mouth as he drove out of the parking lot. Tweek blushed a bit, smiling softly.

"Thanks…I, um, I tried a little bit." He admitted, Craig chuckling.

"For me?"

"Yeah…always for you."

They drove for about a half an hour, Tweek blinking as they pulled into a little parking lot of an ice cream shop.

"I figured we could get something good to eat before I tell you everything," Craig explained, Tweek's stomach dropping. _Something good to eat before I tell you everything._ Did that mean it was bad news? _Don't over think things now. Ice cream is always good. You were craving it anyways_. Climbing out of the car, Tweek rushed up to Craig's side, looping his arm through his. The older man hummed, unlooping their arms and wrapping it around Tweek's waist instead. The blonde blushed, but happily cuddled into the warmth of Craig's side. "What flavor are you thinking?"

"I don't know…I always love mint chocolate chip." Tweek glanced over at Craig, noticing he was grinning.

"A classic. One of the bests."

"What about you?"

"Birthday cake." He chuckled, Tweek snorting.

" _Seriously_?" The blonde laughed, Craig squeezing his hip.

"Need I remind you I turn thirty soon." He said, Tweek wrapping his own arm around Craig's torso.

"That's right. The big three-oh. Do you have any plans for that yet?" Tweek asked, Craig licking his lips slowly as he thought.

"Not really. I'll probably have the guys over or we'll go out for some drinks. Nothing fancy."

"Am I going to have to come over the next morning with hangover relievers?" He teased, Craig rolling his eyes with a smile.

"I'm telling you now, don't _ever_ let me get that drunk again."

After they both had their ice cream cones, they got in the car, enjoying the warmth while they ate their frozen treats. They were relatively silent while they ate, sharing a few bites of each other's cones and laughing when Craig was unsuccessful in getting Tweek to smell his ice cream (he would've just slammed it in his face, anyways). It was after they were done eating that the mood shifted. Craig tensed as a song came on the radio, Tweek noticing it right away. His face dropped and he looked as if he was about to pass out. Reaching out slowly, Tweek put a hand on his thigh.

"Craig?" Without a word, Craig shifted the car into drive, Tweek yelping as he grabbed his seatbelt and buckled up. He knew the song. His dad played it in the shop for a few months when he was younger.

 _Mott the Hoople and the Game of Life (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

 _Andy Kaufman in the wrestling match (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

 _Monopoly, twenty-one, checkers, and chess (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

Craig was gripping the steering wheel so hard, Tweek was convinced that if he squeezed any harder, the metal would dent. They drove down the road to a lake, Craig parking in the small lot, tossing the car into park and pressing the button to put the top down.

 _Now, Andy did you hear about this one?_

 _Tell me, are you locked in the punch?_

 _Andy are you goofing on Elvis? Hey, baby?_

 _Hey, baby, are we losing touch?_

As soon as the top was down, Craig turned the music up real loud, Tweek jumping a bit as he watched him climb over the car door, not open it. Slowly, Tweek got out of the car, tensing as he heard Craig practically screaming.

" _Fuck you!_ Are you _fucking KIDDING ME_?! I trusted you! I fucking-I did _everything_ I was supposed to growing up! I went to _fucking church_ every Sunday! Even when I didn't _believe in you,_ I tried my _fucking best!_ You fucking _ASSHOLE! How could you do this to me?!"_ He screamed over the lake, raising his middle fingers to the sky. Tweek felt like he shouldn't be here. He felt like he was intruding on something private. When Craig turned back around, Tweek leaned over and turned the car off, plummeting them into silence. Taking a few steps forward, Tweek met him halfway, Craig flicking his lighter to life as he inhaled on a cigarette he placed into his mouth at some point.

"C-Craig?"

"I missed going to the coffee shop last week because I had to drive back to Denver after work." He croaked, voice raw from screaming. Tweek blinked, swallowing hard.

"Is your sister-"

"No," He inhaled on his cigarette, closing his eyes. "It has nothing to do with my sister."

"Then what-"

"When I went to the hospital for my sister's delivery, I started having chest pains," Even in the dark, Tweek could see Craig's throat bob as he swallowed. "So they checked it out…ran a biopsy and everything…" Tweek blinked, his breathing becoming sporadic.

"Did…what…Craig what are you trying to tell me?" He choked out, tears pooling into his eyes. Craig flicked his cigarette away, shoving his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the hood of his car.

"They found something, kid. Another tumor, but on my right side this time," Craig let out a bitter laugh, running his hand through his hair. "They always tell women the signs for breast cancer, but they never tell men." He hissed, Tweek's throat closing as he felt his head spin.

"C-Craig…do you-"

"Have cancer?" He laughed, looking over at Tweek. "Yeah. Stage two breast cancer, kid. Guess it runs in the family."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Hey, hi, please don't hate me!

I was proud of ya'll that guessed what he had to say! You figured it out through my context clues! (Cancer scare/Laura's own cancer history!)  
Well, we have a long journey ahead of us, so get ready for some angsty chapters (with fluff, laughter, and maybe some smut mixed in)! Despite everything, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and if you really want to cry, listen to the songs used in this chapter. Think of it as a "try not to cry challenge". Thanks again, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Songs:  
Father and Son-Cat Stevens  
Man on the Moon-R.E.M


	13. Lesson 13: Side Effects May Include

The ride back to Tweek's apartment was silent.

Tweek was afraid that if he spoke, he'd cry.

Craig was silent as well, eyes fixated on the road. As he pulled into Tweek's apartment complex, he chewed on his bottom lip, trying to figure out what to say. He couldn't be quiet any longer.

"I'm sorry for yelling at the lake…" He murmured, closing his eyes as he turned the car off. Tweek swallowed hard, tugging at a string that was loose on his shirt.

"Don't…don't a-apologize." He whispered, voice already tight with emotion. Swearing under his breath, Tweek wiped at his cheeks with the palms of his hands, wiping away the stray tears that fell.

"…They want me to do chemo so they can see if it will shrink the size of the tumor. If the tumor shrinks, they don't have to do a mastectomy. They can just take the tumor out if it shrinks enough…" Craig explained, Tweek squeezing his eyes shut as he spoke.

"W-When do you start?" Tweek choked out, looking over at him finally. Craig's eyes were still closed, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"Tomorrow…before the evening class I teach," His voice was low still, Tweek leaning forward into his knees as he finally let out a sob. Craig squeezed his eyes shut a little tighter as he heard Tweek sob, his chest tightening with emotion as he listened. Reaching a hand out, Craig rubbed his back gently, looking over at the blonde next to him. "Will you…come with me?" He asked, Tweek sniffling as he sat upright.

"Wh-where? To your appointment?"

"Yeah…I don't…I don't want to go alone." Craig admitted, his face a light pink. Tweek smiled weakly, wiping his cheeks once more.

"You don't want y-your mom or sister or Clyde with you?"

"No…I want you, kid." Craig breathed out, leaning his head back against the headrest. Humming softly, Tweek ran a hand gently through Craig's hair, running his thumb over his temple. He nuzzled into Tweek's touch, opening his eyes to look at him.

"I'll come with you." He whispered, Craig letting out a shaky breath.

"Thank you." He croaked out, dropping his head onto Tweek's shoulder. They stayed silent for a while, just enjoying each other's presence as the press of their bodies comforted them. It was Craig who pulled away first, leaning back in his seat.

"Text me tomorrow, alright?" Tweek whispered, giving his hand a soft squeeze. Tears were still freely falling down his face, the sight making Craig's stomach twist into a knot. Nodding, Craig shot him a weak smile, Tweek pressing a kiss to his cheek before leaving the car. Tweek, no matter how much he wanted to, didn't look back. He couldn't. If he looked at Craig once more, he knew he'd really break down. Craig watched him go, making sure he was safe inside the building before driving off. Once in the silence of the elevator, Tweek's face scrunched up, a cry escaping his lips as he slammed a hand over his mouth. He couldn't cry. Not yet. He needed to get to his apartment first. Stumbling out of the elevator, Tweek rushed to his door, feeling sick to his stomach. Why was this happening? Why now? Tweek finally found a guy that cared for him, respected him, and _cherished him_ , come to find out he has _cancer_. He's _suffering_. And Tweek is going to see it all unfold right before his very eyes. He practically kicked the door in, gasping for air as he felt a panic attack coming on. Ignoring Kyle and Wendy's voices, he rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door shut and collapsing to the ground. The tile was cool to his hot skin, the blonde dry heaving as he freely cried now.

"Tweek?!" _Kyle_.

"Tweek, open up!" _Wendy_. The knocking sounded so far away, Tweek's face wet with tears and red from crying. Reaching a hand out, he turned the knob enough that it cracked open, Kyle pushing the door open. Both of them knelt down next to Tweek, Wendy tugging the crying blonde into her arms.

"Dude, what happened?!" Kyle asked, pushing the hair up off of Tweek's forehead. The blonde shook his head, gasping for air.

"I-I can't say." He cried, gripping at Kyle's thigh for leverage. Tweek felt like he was going to pass out.

"Tweek, you're _distraught_! Why can't you tell us?!"

"'m-m not-not at l-liberty to say!" The blonde gasped, screwing his eyes shut as he tried to breathe. Kyle sighed, cupping Tweek's face in his hands.

"Okay-okay. Breathe, Tweek. _Please breathe_ ," He instructed, forcing Tweek to look at him. Kyle talked him through the breathing exercises they always do when Tweek gets like this, the blonde's frantic cries and breathing eventually slowing. "You okay? Feel better?" Tweek nodded frantically, swallowing hard.

"Mhmm, yup." He choked out, voice still raw from crying.

"But you still won't tell us what's wrong, will you?" Wendy whispered, stroking his hair gently. Biting down on his lip, Tweek shook his head.

"N-No…I can't… _I can't_ …" He breathed out, curling into her chest as he let out another sob. Kyle looked at Wendy, shaking his head. He slid his arms under Tweek, lifting him up. He nodded towards the door.

"Come on, Wendy. He needs to go to bed." Kyle murmured, Tweek looking up at Kyle's face as he carried him to his room. Wendy opened each door needed for Kyle, the red head lying Tweek in his bed. Before Kyle could walk away, Tweek grabbed his wrist, looking up at him.

"Kyle?"

"Yes Tweek?"

"W-Why-why do bad things h-happen to good people?" Tweek asked, his friend blinking at the question. For once in his life, Kyle Broflovski found himself unable to answer a question. Frowning, he let out a sigh, shrugging.

"I…I don't know."

"It isn't f-fair…"

"…I know, Tweek…I know."

* * *

Sterile. It was the best word to describe the hospital, in Tweek's opinion. He always hated them. He was in and out of one after a particularly bad break down his sophomore year of high school, and he vowed to never return. However, Tweek made an exception for Craig. He's decided he always would make an exception for Craig. The taller man sitting in the chair in front of him seemed nervous, which was understandable, as the nurse put the needles in his arm that would administer the chemotherapy. Tweek reached out, grabbing his other hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. He ran his thumb over Craig's knuckles, offering him a gentle smile as he settled back into the cushy seat he was in. The nurse hummed, smiling at them both.

"It'll take about an hour for the bag to empty. I'll come back in about fifteen minutes or so to check on you, Mr. Tucker!" She said, tossing her gloves away and walking away to check on her other patients. Craig pursed his lips, glancing up at the bag on the rack by his chair and pushing air past his lips as he did so.

"Well, fuck." He grumbled, Tweek smiling weakly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…just…I can't believe I wasn't here for my mom when she went through this for the first time."

"Hey," Tweek said softly, grabbing his chin gently to get him to look at him. "She had your dad and sister here with her. She wasn't alone. Don't think about that. Not now." He whispered, thumb running over his jaw. Tweek could feel his jaw tense under his touch as he thought, nodding slowly.

"She's been texting me nonstop today." Craig chuckled, glancing down at the phone in his lap.

"Your mom?"

"Yeah…wants updates." He said with a smile, absentmindedly scrolling through the messages from his mother.

"That's sweet, though."

"It is," Craig smiled a little wider, biting his lip. "She asks about you." He said suddenly, Craig looking up to see his green eyes widen.

"She…she-she does?"

"Of course, kid. She's interested in anything going on in my life. So therefore, since you're a part of my life now, she wants to know about you." Craig chuckled as Tweek's face turned as red as his signature Converse, reaching over and giving his thigh a squeeze.

"You know you're Samantha now." Tweek said, smiling slowly as he changed the topic. Craig raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I'm amused. Why am I Samantha?"

"Well, I just finished Sex and the City not that long ago. Remember, she had breast cancer in the last season! Though it was pretty tame, it still makes you Samantha." Tweek explained, a grin on his face as he pushed himself back and forth in the same spot with his rolling stool. Craig let out a soft laugh, licking his lips.

"I always thought of myself as a Miranda."

"Hmm…I guess I could see that."

"Who do you see yourself as?"

"Samantha."

"Really?"

"She gets around and I used to get around. But if we're going strictly by personality…Carrie."

"I can see you as a Carrie." Craig laughed, tilting his head a bit to look at Tweek more. The blonde gasped suddenly, reaching into his backpack.

"Can-can you drink coffee while receiving chemo?" He giggled, tugging out a thermos full of coffee from his bag. Craig grinned slowly, flicking his eyes up to the bag once more.

"Well, from the research I did, I think it's fine," He chuckled, happily accepting a paper cup filled with coffee. It even had cream added already. "Did…did you bring cream and sugar?"

"I'm a barista, I always come prepared."

"You're a walking talking coffee shop." Craig mumbled into his cup, Tweek rolling his eyes with a grin as he took a sip of his own coffee. The nurse came walking over, humming again as she smiled.

"How you feeling?"

"Fine." Craig said softly, glancing down at his arm as she checked the needles in them. The nurse (Tweek thinks her name tag said _Kelly_ ) checked the bag to make sure the medication was dripping properly before looking between the two men.

"Looks like everything is good here!" She looked at the thermos in Tweek's hand, her cheeks a light pink suddenly. "That…that coffee smells great." She breathed out, smiling a bit. Tweek blinked, suddenly noticing the bags under her eyes. _She's probably been here all night_. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out an extra cup her brought, pouring some into it.

"How much cream and sugar?" He asked, shooting her a gentle smile. Kelly blinked, biting her lip to stop her smile.

"Two-two scoops of sugar and a splash of cream, please." She whispered, practically squealing as Tweek handed the cup over to her.

"Hope you like it." He chuckled, Kelly taking two long gulps with a sigh of content. She smiled at Tweek, her face full of thanks. Before leaving, she looked at Craig.

"Your boyfriend makes great coffee." Tweek felt his cheeks flush bright red, Craig chuckling as she walked away.

"S-Sorry." Tweek choked out, Craig furrowing his brows.

"Why are you sorry?"

"She-she thinks we're dating…"

"There's nothing wrong with that." Craig said, letting out a soft laugh.

"But…I-I'm me and-"

"Shut up with that shit, kid," Tweek blinked, staring at Craig. "You know I like you." _You love him, Craig_. _You love him so much._

"I…I like you, too." _You love him, Tweek. You love him so much_.

"Besides," Craig leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "The idea of dating you sounds pretty nice."

* * *

Craig wasn't sure how he got himself to work the next day. He felt terrible, and he knew it was from the chemo. He made sure to eat enough before leaving in an effort to keep his blood sugar up and his stomach somewhat full. The drive there wasn't so bad. He found that when he's sitting, he feels a lot better. Making his way to his classroom (he was already running behind) he stopped suddenly, working his bottom lip between his teeth. A wave of nausea consumed him suddenly, but he pushed through it to finish his route to his room. Most of the students were already there, Tweek included, the thermos of coffee sitting on his desk. Looking up, he could see the worried look in Tweek's eyes, and he knew it was because his face was flushed. _Fuck fuck fuck fuck._ Suddenly tossing his bag down, Craig rushed out of the room to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before he lost the breakfast he so carefully made sure he ate that morning.

" _Shit_." He cursed to himself, hunching over the toilet as he continued to gag. He hated this. He felt so weak. Helpless. Not in control. Craig Tucker hated feeling like a _child_ at the mercy of this _sickness controlling him_.

"Craig?" A gentle voice called out, Craig's chest heaving as he tried to calm down.

"T-Tweek go back to the classroom, 'm-m fine." He croaked out, screwing his eyes shut as he tried to stop the nausea. The blonde frowned, leaning his forehead near the crack in the stall Craig was in.

"No you're not. Don't fucking lie to me." He whispered, chest tight with sadness. Biting his lip, Craig let out a sigh.

"I'll _be_ fine…"

"Craig, maybe you should tell someone about this…you're going to be having a lot of side effects this next month or so." Tweek said, and Craig knew he was right. With his stomach finally starting to settle, Craig took a piece of toilet paper to wipe his mouth and nose with, tossing it into the toilet before flushing it. Standing carefully, he slowly unlocked the stall, Tweek frowning when he saw him. He didn't have his usual color, dark circles under his eyes. He looked…to put it simply, _sick_.

"I…I will…" He mumbled, going to the sink and splashing some cool water on his face. Tweek rubbed his back gently, Craig enjoying the gentle touch.

"I'm gonna go back to class, okay? I'll leave some water on your desk." He whispered, quickly pressing a kiss to his cheek before leaving. Craig looked up at himself in the mirror, sighing as he turned his head from left to right. His hair was sticking to his forehead from a mixture of water and cold sweat, but he didn't really care about his appearance at this point. Undoing his tie, he shrugged the dress shirt off his back, leaving him in the white t-shirt he wore underneath. _Better_. Walking back to the classroom, he tossed the tie and dress shirt onto his desk, taking a drink of the water Tweek left for him as well. He didn't like how everyone stared at him, the incredulous looks making him paranoid. It was fifteen minutes after class was supposed to start. They probably couldn't believe he came back after practically sprinting out of the classroom. Running his hands down his face, Craig let out a sigh, tugging his chair from behind his desk to be in front of it. He plopped into it, lacing his fingers together and resting the interlocked joints on his chest, elbows on the arms of the chair. He started bouncing his leg, running his tongue along his teeth as he figured out what he wanted to say in his head.

"I, uh, apologize for running out but…you're gonna have to get used to it for the next month and a half or so." Craig said slowly, eyes cast down towards the floor.

"Um…why…exactly?" Kenny asked, Craig glancing over at him.

"To put it frankly, McCormick…I have fucking cancer." Everyone's eyes widened slightly, except for Tweek's. He screwed his eyes shut, hating each and every time Craig said those words. He could feel Kyle and Wendy's eyes burning into him. Stan's probably looking at him too, but he doesn't know about Tweek's break down two nights ago. He felt a hand slide into his, opening his now teary eyes to look at Wendy, her eyes wide.

"Is that-" Tweek just nodded slowly, lip quivering slightly as he buried his face into his arms to stop himself from crying. If he cried, someone could find out about them. If that happened, Craig could lose his job while fighting cancer, and Tweek would never be able to forgive himself if that happened.

"You… _shit_." Kenny breathed out, running a hand through his hair.

"I started treatment yesterday…which is why I ran out. I get… _nauseas,_ and I'll continue to be nauseas for some time. There's a plethora of side effects, but the nausea and fatigue will be the ones that effect you guys. There will definitely be days I have to cancel class. Shit, I don't know how I drove here today."

" _You drove?!"_ Wendy gasped, Craig chuckling.

"I'm chock full of surprises."

"Yeah, like the fact you _have cancer_." Stan said, Craig smirking.

"Touché, Marsh."

"What kind of cancer…might I ask?" Kyle said.

"Breast."

"Men can get breast cancer?" Cartman asked, eyebrows furrowed. Craig shrugged.

"Apparently. My mother had her own battle with it about five or six years ago…guess it's in the family." Tweek lifted his head slowly, eyes reddened slightly from trying to hold back his tears. Craig saw it, offering a gentle smile.

"So…do you need surgery?" Bebe said. Craig hummed.

"Eventually. I'm doing chemo in an effort to reduce the size of the tumor. It's stage two, so it's a little larger than the last tumor I had."

"You-wait-you had a tumor before?" Butters asked, the raven haired man nodding.

"Yeah. It was benign, thankfully, and only about a centimeter in length. This one is about three centimeters and, obviously, cancerous. If the chemo is effective, it can, hopefully, shrink the size of the tumor and they only have to go in and take out the tumor. If it doesn't shrink, they have to do a mastectomy." He explained, everyone nodding along slowly. They spent the class asking Craig questions and just talking, no one really in the mood to learn after their professor dropped a bomb on them like that. Craig let them go around two, everyone slowly making their way out of the classroom. Tweek found his feet were cemented to the ground, his hands gripping the edge of the table. Wendy rubbed his back.

"Tweek?" He gasped, looking up at her. "We're leaving." She whispered, looping her arm through his to help him up. Stan and Kyle came back to them, Kyle giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"You were right. You weren't at liberty to tell." He whispered, Tweek nodding as he stood. As they made their way to the door, Craig grabbed Tweek's wrist.

"Can I steal him for ten minutes?" He asked the other three students around him. Craig was sure they knew of his relationship with Tweek. How much they knew, he wasn't sure, but Craig was no idiot.

"Of course." Stan said, taking Wendy's hand as they left the classroom. Kyle shot them a sad smile before ducking out, closing the door behind him. Tweek swallowed hard, looking at Craig.

"What's up?"

"C'mere." He murmured, tugging Tweek down onto his lap. Wrapping his arms tightly around him, he buried his face into his chest, Tweek burying his face into Craig's hair (while he still could). He ran his thumb over Craig's cheek, sniffling.

"I'm proud of you." He whispered.

"For what?"

"Telling everyone…I k-know it isn't easy."

"I would've had to say something eventually." Craig chuckled, leaning back in his chair to look up at Tweek.

"I know…doesn't mean I'm not proud of you…even though it kills me to hear you say you have-" Tweek cut himself off, swallowing hard.

"I know, kid…I know," Craig whispered, running his hand up and down Tweek's back gently. They sat in silence for a little while, but Craig broke it eventually. "I'm really going to need you these next few months…and-and I know that isn't fair of me to ask you that, but I figured…we seem really into each other. So…I just…really want you with me this next month or so." Craig explained, Tweek cupping his face in his hands. He leaned down, pressing a few soft kisses to his lips. The dynamic between them has shifted so much. The usual sexual, flirtatious, and playful banter has been replaced with praise, domesticity, and simplicity. Their little routine has been shaken up, but they're adjusting. Together. Pulling away slowly, Tweek leaned his forehead against his, smiling softly.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving you alone at a time like this."

* * *

 **NOTE:** So this is a shorter chapter that I usually post for this story, but it's almost 3 am and I have a final tomorrow. I hope you still enjoyed this chapter nonetheless! I have been doing a lot of research on chemotherapy and it's actually really interesting, so I hope ya'll learned a lil something something from this fic (like the fact men CAN get breast cancer!). Thanks so much for reading, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	14. Lesson 14: Finding Your Voice

The next week was a little better.

The following Wednesday, Tweek found himself in the same rolling stool he was in last week, with Craig sitting in the same cushy chair as well. It was something he was going to have to get used to, but he didn't mind. Not one bit. Because Craig would do that same for him. Currently, they had a small cooler on the floor filled with popsicles, both sucking on one as they tried to kill time.

"Okay, favorite movie." Tweek said, lips currently tinted purple from his grape popsicle. Craig thought a moment, licking his lips with a very red tongue.

"Inglorious Basterds."

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"What about it do you like?"

"Well, for starters, I just love Tarantino movies in general. I always watched them with my dad. Second, it's the ending to World War two that we wanted. A bunch of Jewish soldiers that called themselves the Basterds kill Hitler. It's almost like retribution in a way." Craig explained, taking a bite of his cherry popsicle. Tweek hummed.

"Maybe that's why Kyle really likes that movie."

"Have you seen it?"

"Nope." Tweek said, popping the 'p' for emphasis. Craig grinned slowly, teeth tinted red.

"You should come over later and watch it."

"Okay, Dracula." Tweek laughed, Craig shooting him a glare as he smirked.

"At least I don't look like I just ate out the purple Teletubbie." Craig snickered, Tweek slamming a hand over his mouth.

"Oh my god, Craig!" He laughed behind his hand, Kelly walking over.

"How we doing, boys?" She asked, checking the needles and bag as per usual.

"Doing great." Craig chuckled, reaching into the cooler and handing an orange popsicle to Kelly. She grinned, humming.

"Thanks, Craig," She said, taking a bite off the top. "Everything looks good. Keep eating popsicles. They seriously do wonders for the nausea." Tweek had called Kelly last week (who so kindly gave them her number in case of emergencies) and explained that Craig's nausea was preventing him from eating. She recommended to bring popsicles next time, apparently something about it helping patients with their nausea. Craig nodded as she left, reaching into the cooler and grabbing a blue raspberry popsicle this time.

"What's your favorite movie?" Craig asked, tugging the wrapper off the popsicle. Tweek thought a moment, humming.

"Dirty Dancing."

"You're shitting me." Craig chuckled, Tweek kicking his leg gently.

"Don't be rude! I didn't judge you for your movie choice!"

"Yeah, but Dirty Dancing?"

"Listen, Patrick Swayze is the reason I questioned my sexuality after I discovered pictures of boys kissing on the internet."

"…okay I can see that." Tweek snorted, reaching into the cooler for an orange popsicle.

"How…how did _you_ find out you were gay?" Tweek asked, Craig chuckling as he thought.

"I had dated a few girls in high school and did the whole shebang with them."

" _Shebang_?" Tweek giggled, Craig rolling his eyes.

"Shut up, kid," He teased, taking a bite of his popsicle. His mouth was turning purple from the red and blue mixing. "I did everything with girls. Sex and all. But…one night senior year I was dared to kiss some guy at a party, and it…changed everything. I felt things deep inside me that I didn't feel when I was with a girl. So, come college, I started fooling around with guys, and it was so much better to me. That's when I knew."

"I thought you said you lost your virginity freshman year of college?"

"Well…with a guy. That's when I really count it, honestly. The few girls I slept with were nice, but again, it didn't quite feel the same." Craig said, tossing his popsicle stick aside. Tweek hummed, nodding slowly.

"Is that why you're good at eating me out?" Tweek purred, Craig's eyes widening slightly at his bluntness.

"Jesus Christ, kid." He breathed out, laughing softly.

"Well you had practice on girls. You know how to work your tongue." Tweek giggled, loving the fact he was able to catch Craig off guard. He very rarely gets to do that, so whenever he does, he cherishes it.

"Did you enjoy it that much?"

"Considering the fact the last guy who gave me a rimjob just spat a lot, I'd say yes."

" _He spat a lot_?"

"It was atrocious, Craig." Tweek laughed, pushing his legs out to roll the stool back a bit. **He started spinning** on it, Craig snickering.

"I feel like I'm watching my child."

"Well, _daddy_ , I'll behave if you want me to." Tweek grinned over his shoulder, giggling as Craig's face turned a dark red. Sputtering, Craig grabbed the Tweek's shirt and tugged him closer, grabbing his chin once he **was close enough**.

"Don't make me horny while I'm forced to sit here for another half an hour, kid." Craig practically growled, smirking up at him. Tweek whimpered softly, pressing a quick peck to his lips. He could taste blue raspberry with a hint of cherry.

"Sucks to be teased, doesn't it?"

* * *

The next day, Craig's nausea wasn't as bad as it was last time. It came and went in waves, but it was definitely more manageable than last week. Friday, he felt worse for some reason. He ended up cancelling his two classes, his stomach doing flip flops the entire day to the point where he couldn't leave his bed without having to run to the bathroom. He didn't eat at all, unable to stomach anything. It was getting close to six o'clock and Craig had only managed to get water down (which tasted like metal to him now, another side effect of chemo). Clyde was so kind to bring him flavored waters around seven, answering Craig's SOS text almost immediately. Trudging over to the door, he opened it slowly for Clyde when he knocked, his friend wincing when he saw him.

"Shit, dude, you look fucking awful." He mumbled, Craig scoffing.

"Thanks, Clyde." He mumbled, grunting as he quickly (well, as quickly as he could) made his way back over to the couch, curling up into a ball in an attempt to stop the nausea. Clyde frowned, biting on his lip as he walked over to sit at the other end of the couch. Normally, Craig's six foot five frame would take up the entire couch and then some, but not today. Not with him curled in on himself in pain.

"Here, do you want lemon or watermelon?" Clyde asked softly, noticing Craig was shivering. He grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch, draping it over him gently.

"Lemon." He grumbled, holding a shaky hand out to him. Clyde opened the water and passed it over to him, Craig sitting up just enough to take three long gulps of the fruity water. It was definitely better than what he's been drinking today, which was just plain water that now tasted like metal.

"I know chemo is strong shit but…I didn't think you'd be this bad…" Clyde admitted, Craig sighing as he ran a hand through his hair. He tensed as he brought his hand back down, both Clyde and him staring at the hair in his hands.

"Yeah…it's strong shit." He sighed, grunting as he stood up to quickly toss the clump of hair out. Once he laid back down, Clyde swallowed hard.

"How…when did that start…the hair, I mean…?" He said slowly, trying to comprehend that his best friend of twenty years was sitting in front of him _with cancer_. Clyde looked up to Craig, admired his work ethic, admired his strength, determination, and dedication. But this Craig in front of him was not the Craig he met nearly twenty years ago in the fourth grade.

"Yesterday…when I got home from work…" Craig sighed, curling back up into a ball. Clyde swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

"I hate seeing you like this, man…"

"I…I know, Clyde."

"You told that kid, Tweek, right?"

"Yeah…"

"What about the hair?"

"Didn't tell him that yet…" He said, glancing down at Clyde. The blanket was tugged up to his nose, only those different colored eyes of his peeking out. They weren't as bright as they usually were, Clyde noticed.

"You should…you can't hide that forever from him…" Clyde said, tugging his legs up to his. Craig hummed, closing his eyes.

"I will…he's coming over tomorrow afternoon for a movie day."

"That's romantic."

"Shut up." Craig chuckled, kicking his leg out to hit Clyde with his foot. Clyde smiled, grabbing one of the flavored waters and opening it.

"I met up with that Bebe girl."

"Bebe Stevens? As in _my student_?"

"You don't have room to talk when it comes to student relations." Clyde laughed, Craig rolling his eyes.

"Touché."

"But we got dinner and drinks. It was so easy talking to her. It hasn't been that easy with someone in a long time, ya know?" Clyde sighed, taking a sip of the water. Craig hummed, glancing over at his phone that buzzed in the coffee table. He reached out, smirking when he saw the text was from tweek. It was a mirror picture of the blonde sitting in his desk chair, only in his underwear with the caption " _Hope you're feeling somewhat decent today!"_ Craig smiled at the image, locking his phone and holding it to his chest.

"Yeah…I know what you mean."

* * *

Tweek showed up at Craig's around two o'clock on Saturday, a bag full of movie treats in hand. Candy, popcorn, sodas, chips. Things that Tweek liked and things that Craig liked. He entered the code to Craig's apartment complex so he didn't have to get up to answer the buzzer, making his way up to the sixth floor. He knocked on the door gently, hearing shuffling from the other side. When Craig opened the door, Tweek had to stop himself from frowning. His face seemed hollow and his eyes were tired, shoulders hunched as a blanket hung from his frame.

"Hey kid." He croaked out, turning and making his way back to the couch. Tweek shut the door behind him, keeping his eye on Craig as he patted Venus' head when she trotted up to greet Tweek.

"Hey you." Tweek breathed out, eyes not leaving the back of the couch. Walking over, he sat down at the foot of the couch, smiling sadly.

"You brought goodies." Craig mumbled, smiling back.

"I did! I have popcorn, snacks, candy, soda."

"Do you have Ginger Ale?"

"I do." He hummed, opening the can of soda and passing it over to Craig. He sat up slowly, sipping slowly at it. Tweek stood up, going to the microwave to put a bag of popcorn in the microwave.

"How was your day yesterday?" Craig asked from the couch, trying to focus on a spot on the wall to distract himself from his nausea.

"It was fine! I didn't close yesterday since they hired someone new so I don't have to close every Friday. That's why I sent you a picture near eight. I was home around seven." Tweek explained, humming softly as he looked for a bowl for the popcorn.

"Clyde came over yesterday."

"How's he doing?"

"He's fine…all the guys are fine…handling everything one day at a time. Just like you and me." He sighed, Tweek biting his lip as he glanced over his shoulder at Craig.

"How did they all take that news?" He said, tugging the microwave open when the popcorn was finished. Craig thought a moment, closing his eyes as he spoke.

"Token was shocked. He was definitely not expecting it, Jimmy as well. They all know of my mom's history with breast cancer, but they never thought _her son_ would end up getting it. Clyde…he was a mess. He cried, but Clyde is a big cry baby. I love him to death, though. He's in shock currently. When he came over yesterday…I don't think he knew how to handle seeing me so… _weak_." Craig's voice trailed off near the end, Tweek sitting down next to him.

"Hey," He brushed the hair off of Craig's forehead, which made the older man tense up. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're one of the strongest, if not _the_ strongest, person that I know. This isn't going to be easy, but just remember you have a team of people around you willing and ready to support you." Tweek whispered, Craig staring at him with wide eyes. He nodded slowly, swallowing.

"Um…what-uh-what do you want to watch first?" Craig said, Tweek thinking a moment.

"Why don't we start with your movie first? Start with the hard hitting shit before moving onto Dirty Dancing." He suggested, Craig chuckling softly.

"Sounds fine with me." Craig turned on the TV, flipping through until he got to the Netflix app. Tweek grabbed his hand suddenly as he hovered over the movie title.

"Wait, Tarantino."

"What about him?"

"Gore. He-he makes gory movies…right?"

"He does, but I can assure you, this movie is pretty tame surprisingly. It isn't too bad."

"Will you warn me if there's gonna be shit?" Tweek asked, Craig chuckling softly. He turned his hand so he could grab Tweek's hand that was holding his wrist, giving it a soft squeeze.

"I promise, kid." Craig slid his hand from Tweek's, draping it around his shoulder. The blonde blushed a bit, nodding as he scooched a little closer to the man next to him, cuddling into his side. Having Craig there during the movie was definitely helpful. He was right, it was definitely more tame gore wise than some of the stuff he's seen his dad watch. Overall, Tweek ended up really enjoying the movie, despite feeling anxious the entire time. Craig explained afterwards that that was what Tarantino was trying to do: make the audience anxious. They paused between movies to stretch their legs and get something to drink, but as soon as Craig stood up, he groaned and made his way to the bathroom. Tweek bit his lip, wincing as he heard the bathroom door shut. Craig hunched over the toilet, the Ginger Ale doing shit for his upset stomach. When nothing else would come up, he stood slowly, flushed the toilet, splashed water on his face, and rinsed some mouthwash around his mouth. Looking up into the mirror, Craig winced when he saw his reflection. He could barely recognize himself: usual olive skin lacking it's natural glow, eyes sunken in and not as bright as they normally would be, cheek bones protruding more so than usual due to his inability to eat the past few days. He leaned down, pulling the bathroom scale out that he had tucked between the sink and door. He set it down, stepping onto it and letting the numbers dance across the screen. Finally, when it settled, he licked his lips. He had already lost five pounds. Two days without eating substantially, and he's down _five pounds_. With a grunt, Craig stepped off, tucking the dusty scale back into its place.

Turning back to the mirror, Craig ran his hands down his face, letting his lower eyelids drag and then snap back into place as his hands fell. He was dehydrated. He didn't have to pinch the skin on his hand and watch it slowly sink back into place to know that. He glanced up at the few strands of hair hanging in his face. Slowly, he reached up, running his hands through his hair. When he pulled them out, dark black hair sat in his hands. Craig knows the expression is the straw that broke the camel's back, but in his instance, it was the hair in his hands that broke his. Clenching his jaw, he pushed the hair off his hands into the trashcan, marching back out into the kitchen. Tweek jumped when he saw him, eyes widening slightly as he saw the look on his face.

"Craig?" he asked softly, moving out of his way as he started tugging kitchen drawers open. His breath was shaky, which was unusual for Craig. He grunted when he finally found what he wanted, and Tweek blinked when he realized what they were: scissors. Craig made his way down the hall back to the bathroom, Tweek quickly following him. "Craig, what are you doing?" He asked once more, Craig tugging his shirt over his head. Taking a fistful of his hair as he looked at himself in the mirror, Craig cut into it as if there was nothing holding him back. He let the hair drop from his hands into the sink, angry tears filling his eyes as he ignored Tweek's worried reflection. Taking another fistful of hair, Craig continued cutting. He kept cutting at his hair, doing a piss poor job at keeping it neat, but he didn't care. He was in control. Craig had control over this. Cancer didn't. He was choosing to do this. He had the power. He was in control. He was- "Craig," Tweek's hands settled on his shoulders, Craig inhaling sharply through his nose as he snapped out of his daze. He blinked, hot tears rolling down his cheeks. Looking up, he stared at the mess he made, nostrils flaring as he tried not to cry. He couldn't. Not with Tweek here. Gently, Tweek slid his hand down the length of Craig's arm, grabbing the scissors gently from his hand. "The back still needs to be cut," He whispered, Craig's gaze drifting over to the blonde's reflection. His face softened, mouth opening slightly as if he wanted to say something, but he quickly snapped it shut, for Craig knew that if he spoke, he'd cry. Tweek hummed softly to him as he cut the hair on the back of his head, dropping the hair into the sink with the rest. Craig looked back at his own reflection. The cutting of his hair solidified that Craig, in fact, had cancer, and he let it control him once more through his emotions. Once Tweek set the scissors down, his chest started to heave as he looked at the finished product. It was as close to a buzz cut as they could get with scissors, but Craig still felt so exposed, like a nerve ending. Tweek smiled sadly at him, putting a hand on his lower back. "I'm here." He whispered, and that's all it took to break Craig Tucker down. Letting out a cry, Craig dropped his head to Tweek's shoulder, the blonde running his hand up and down his back gently as he just held him, letting him cry for as long as he needed. The older man gripped at Tweek's back, trying to ground himself. He felt like he was floating. Maybe it was from the lack of food. Maybe it was from the lack of water. Maybe it was all in his head. He wasn't entirely sure at this point. Reaching his hands up, Craig tangled his fingers into Tweek's hair, chest continuing to heave as he sobbed.

Pulling away suddenly, Craig stared at Tweek with wide eyes. Tweek cupped his face in his hands, smiling sadly. Before Tweek could speak, Craig lurched forward, pressing their lips together. It was rougher than he intended, but neither cared. He let one hand drop from Tweek's hair, wrapping his arm around his waist to pull him closer. Taking a few steps forward, Craig made sure Tweek was against the wall before pulling away, leaning his foreheads against his. Swallowing hard, he searched Tweek's face, looking for a sign. The little quirk of Tweek's lip that slowly formed into a smile, that same smile that made his right eye crinkle just a little more than the left and his nose scrunch slightly…yeah, that was the sign Craig was looking for.

"I love you."

* * *

 **NOTE:** I've had this particular scene planned out for so long and it finally happened and it hurt like a bitch to write, but Tucker grew a pair and said those three words! As sad as it is, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's a sweet image if you think about it, Tweek being supportive no matter what. 3 Thank you so much for reading, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	15. Lesson 15: How to Prove A Point

It felt like someone had their hand clutching Tweek's heart. Like someone literally shoved a hand into his chest and was squeezing his heart. No one was, obviously. It just really, really, _really_ felt like that. He stared up at Craig, green eyes wide as he tried to find the right words to respond. It was simple. All he had to say was _I love you, too_ , but the words were caught in his throat.

"P-prove it." He managed to get out, swallowing hard. Craig watched the bob of his throat, smirking slightly when he saw it.

"Do I still make you nervous?"

"When-when you say shit like that, yeah."

"What, _I love you_?"

"Y-yes!" The blonde squeaked out, face a bright red. Craig laughed softly, leaning his forehead against his.

"How do I need to prove it?"

"I…I-I don't know. But…if you _really_ loved me, you'd-you'd know how to." He choked out, voice still small and caught in his throat. Slowly, Craig tightened the arm he had around his waist, offering a small smile in an effort to relax him.

"Why don't we go to my room, alright?"

"But…but Dirty Dancing…"

"We can still watch it later." Craig said between soft laughs, Tweek nodding as he pulled away to walk down to Craig's room. When he entered, Venus was lying at the foot of his bed, her head perking up when she saw him enter. Jumping off the bed, she put her paws on Tweek's thighs, tail wagging as she demanded affection. Smiling, Tweek rubbed her head, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of it.

"He loves me…" He whispered into her fur, pulling away when Craig entered the room. He leaned down to give her a head rub as well, slowly crawling into his bed with a hum.

"C'mere." Craig mumbled, eyes half lidded as he stared at Tweek. It made his chest burn, as if Craig's gaze was a flint and his chest was the wood. Giving Venus one last pet, Tweek made his way over to the bed, crawling in under the covers next to Craig. It was weird staring at him with such short hair, but he'd get used to it. To Tweek, it felt like two years had passed before Craig even moved, warm hand grabbing his hip gently to tug him closer.

"What?"

"I said c'mere, kid." He chuckled, Tweek slowly moving closer. He could feel the heat coming off of Craig, and even though he was vomiting not long ago, he didn't smell like it. He smelt like he just came out of a shower. Clean, fresh aftershave and a musky cologne. It was heavenly. It made Tweek's head spin.

"I-what-how are you-"

"Shut up for a minute, yeah?" Tweek clamped his mouth shut, nodding slowly as he swallowed hard. With his other hand, Craig reached up and grabbed his chin, running his thumb gently over his jaw. "I've proved it to you already."

"Wh-how?"

"I proved it to you when you were asleep in the coffee shop the first day I met you. I proved it that night you fell off the stool after I told you I was gay," Tweek felt his face heat up. "I proved it the night I bought you McDonald's. The night you called me having a panic attack and I took you out for food and gave you my sweatshirt. The night I talked to you on the phone after you came over and took care of my drunk ass. Your birthday, when I carried you home and let you try and seduce me. The next day, when _I choked you_ on the bathroom floor as I grinded into you," Tweek swallowed at the memory, trying not to smile. "The sexts, bowling, _when I fucked you_ , asking you to watch Venus, _fucking you over my desk_ , asking _you_ to come to my chemo appointments with me…I've been trying to prove that I love you since day one, but it just took me a while to find the words. And…if you'll let me…I want to keep proving it you to." When Craig finished, Tweek licked his lips slowly, trying to organize his thoughts.

"P-prove it…now." He breathed out, leaning up and catching Craig's lips with his own. It was soft, something Craig needed in that moment.

"What exactly are you looking for, kid?" He mumbled between kisses, Tweek letting out a shaky sigh as Craig kissed down his jaw to his neck.

"What-what do you _love_ about _me_?" He whispered, Craig's lips sucking lightly at his neck. Humming lightly and pulling his lips away, Craig looked at the hickey he left, smirking slightly.

"I love your nose."

"Why?"

"It crinkles when you smile real wide."

"It does?"

"I love your eyes."

"Why?"

"Your right eye crinkles a little more than the left when you smile. They're also really bright and show so much life and joy." Craig continued pressing kisses to his neck, tugging lightly on his shirt. Tweek pulled away so he could lift it over his head and arms, face a light pink.

"You notice a lot of small details."

"I love your smile."

"Why?"

"You have to ask why about your smile? You have a _gorgeous_ smile, kid."

"I have a small gap between my canine and molar, though…"

"It's adorable, alright? I love that the most about your smile because it's unique to you."

"You're just flattering me."

"I'm proving what I said to you, kid," Craig sighed, pushing himself up onto his elbow to look down at Tweek. "I don't go tossing around _I love you_ to just anybody. It took me over a year to say it back to my last boyfriend, and even then it didn't feel like I meant it. It didn't feel like it does now when I'm with you. _You_ make me nervous." He admitted, Tweek's eyes widening slightly.

"I…why do _I_ make _you_ nervous?" Tweek hissed, Craig running a hand through what was left of his hair. It kind of felt soothing in a way to him, knowing it couldn't fall out on him anymore.

"You're just… _you_. Quintessential you, and that _terrifies_ me. You can be so confident but so self-destructive and I worry about you. I worry in the sense that I don't know if you're going to try and pin me against a wall or if you're going to collapse to the ground in a panic."

"That-that sounds horrible to be around."

"But it's not! And that's what makes me so nervous. I love being around it, but I'm afraid one day…I won't be able to _help_ you…and I don't _like_ that." Craig explained, Tweek's eyes still wide as he stared up at the man above him.

"Why me?" He whispered, taking Craig's face in his hands.

"You know that song My Girl by the Temptations?" Tweek nodded slowly. "The opening line is 'I've got sunshine on a cloudy day', and that's how I feel about you. You're literally sunshine. You make my life infinitely better and I'm afraid of going back to a life without you in it." Tweek could see Craig's throat bob as he swallowed when he finished speaking, his chest practically bursting as he leaned up and pressed their lips together. Wrapping his arms around Craig's neck, the blonde tugged him down on top of him, the weight comforting to his shaky limbs. Finally, after nearly a half an hour trying to find the words, they seemed to effortlessly bubble out his mouth as he pulled away.

"I love you, too." He breathed out, Craig smiling slowly.

"I knew it."

"Does…um, are we…b-boyfriends then? I mean, we don't have to be! I just-oh god-I've never had a boyfriend I don't know how this would work. Doesn't-don't you normally say this shit after you're already dating? The I love you shit?" Tweek rambled, Craig laughing softly as he nuzzled his nose into his cheek.

"Kid, I've considered you my boyfriend since your birthday."

* * *

When Tweek went home later that night, it didn't seem like anyone was home. He was fine with that, not really wanting to explain to anyone why he was so giddy. They laid out ground rules for when it comes time for classes. Craig will treat Tweek just like anyone else in class as far as social standards and for grading as well. Tweek wasn't expecting any perks, but he was glad Craig and him were on the same page. After changing out of his clothes, he crawled into bed and looked at the time on his phone. _Ten thirteen._ Biting his lip, he sent his mom a text.

 _Hey mom. I know I haven't sent you a text or called in a while, but I have a lot to catch you up on, but I'm not sure how you're going to react_.

After he hit send, he whined softly, tossing his phone aside and tugging at his hair. _You have a boyfriend. A boyfriend who is nine years older than you. A boyfriend who is currently going through the fight of his life. A boyfriend who loves you and cherishes you. A boyfriend who-_ He jumped when his phone started buzzing next to him, realizing his mom was calling him. Accepting the call, he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Hey mom." He said, rolling onto his side.

" _I don't know if I like the sound of that text, sweetheart."_ She chuckled, Tweek letting out a breathless laugh.

"I know I-I'm sorry."

" _So what do you have to catch_ _me up on and why won't I possibly like it_?" Tweek swallowed hard, biting his lip.

"B-because your son is dating his professor!" He blurted out, unable to bite his tongue any longer. The line was silent for a while. Eventually, Tweek heard his mom let out a soft hum.

" _So you're officially dating?"_

"Yes…it- _fuck_ -it's a long story."

" _I have time, sweetheart, I'm folding laundry_." Mary cooed, trying to calm her son down.

"I…okay," He breathed out, sitting up to sit against the wall. "I…so, for my birthday…I got… _real drunk_."

" _As expected_."

"Gee, thanks," Tweek chuckled, leaning his head back against the wall. "Kyle, Wendy, and Stan had to each take someone home, so Kyle…I think it was Kyle, asked him to bring me home."

" _Who's him?"_

 _"_ Craig, my professor."

" _Oh that's right. Craig…your first boyfriend is a Craig?"_

 _"_ Mom! Not the point!" Tweek squeaked, tugging at his hair.

" _Sorry, sorry! Continue!"_

 _"_ Anyways, he took me home, someway somehow. I think he carried me at some point."

" _Damn, he carried you? There's a lot to carry."_

 _"_ Yes, _mom_ , I am aware! Also, is that a fat joke?!"

" _No, sweetheart, you're just really tall."_ She laughed, Tweek rolling his eyes with a small smile.

"Continuing on! I… _god,_ this is embarrassing to tell you…I tried to get him to sleep with me when we got back to my apartment."

" _Smooth, sweetheart."_

" _MOM_! I- _fuck_ -it was embarrassing! I was just drunk and fumbling over myself!"

" _It must've worked somehow. You're dating the man now."_ Tweek blinked, narrowing his eyes, even if Mary couldn't see it.

"I see your point, but I refuse to acknowledge you're right."

" _You sound like your father."_ Mary chuckled.

"Well, anyways, the next morning we…uh, I'm skipping that part," Tweek grumbled, ignoring his mother's laughter. "We-um-he-a lot happened in between, but that isn't important!" _It is, just not for her to hear_. "But he eventually took me on a date."

" _Where did you go_?"

"Bowling."

" _A classic date. I like it."_

"Me too," Tweek breathed out, grinning slowly as he closed his eyes. "And then we…went back to his place…"

" _You sound like you're floating on cloud nine_."

"I love him." He admitted, chest swelling as the words repeated in his mind over and over again. Mary hummed into the phone.

" _You do, huh?"_

 _"_ I've never felt this way before. It feels like there's constantly butterflies in my stomach and every time he touches me, even if it's just a pat on the back, it feels like he lit a fire under my skin. I can't stop thinking about him and I just…want everything for him." He choked out, throat suddenly feeling tight. Mary smiled on her end of the line, biting down on her lip.

" _Sounds like love to me."_

"M-Mom…something happened though." He whispered, Mary blinking as the tone in her son's voice suddenly changed.

" _What do you mean?"_

"A-A few weeks ago…he…took me out to get ice cream and… _fuck_ ," He hissed, wiping the tears that fell down his cheeks. "Mom, he has cancer." Tweek whispered, swallowing hard to stop the lump in his throat from creeping up higher.

" _He…what?"_

 _"_ H-He had a cancer scare years ago. I-I think I told you that. I don't know. But turns out his mom had b-breast cancer at some point and now…h-he has it…guess it's a family affair…" He joked, trying to stop the tears. He was tired of crying.

" _Oh sweetheart…"_

 _"_ The first guy to actually love me back and he gets cancer." He let out a bitter laugh, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

" _Wait…he loves you, too?"_ Mary's voice was softer, Tweek blushing as he realized he let that slip out. Biting the inside of his cheek, Tweek smiled weakly, drawing shapes into his thigh.

"Y-Yeah…he told me today after he had a little bit of a breakdown."

" _What do you mean by breakdown? Was it like the ones you have sometimes_?" She asked, Tweek wincing slightly at the memory of his last breakdown.

"No…thankfully. I guess his hair was starting to fall out from the chemo and he got fed up. He's been real nauseous, so he went to the bathroom to vomit and then came back out into the kitchen and took a pair of scissors back to the bathroom with him. When I walked in he was just…cutting at his hair."

" _That sounds…hard to watch_."

"It…it was. But I think it made him feel in control in the situation."

" _Understandable,"_ Tweek could hear the kettle whistle in the background, assuming she's making tea. His father would have a small fit, but even Richard Tweak understands the need to have tea at times. " _So…when do we get to meet him?"_ She asked, Tweek's face heating up.

"I, um, I-I don't know…I can ask him if he wants to come visit over fall break. Maybe before Thanksgiving? Maybe he can drive me home."

" _If he drove you home, that man would be a damn saint."_

 _"_ Gee, it's almost like you don't want me to come home." He laughed.

" _It's not that I don't want you home, it's just such a pain to come and get you sometimes."_ She chuckled, Tweek smiling as he laid back down.

"I know, mom."

" _Well, listen sweetheart, I'm going to let you go so I can sit with your father and enjoy my tea."_

 _"_ If you want to tell dad you can…I don't mind. He's gonna find out sooner or later."

" _Be prepared for a bunch of texts, then. You know he'll have questions about his son's first boyfriend."_ Tweek grinned slowly, his heart swelling as he thought of his dad trying to be intimidating. Considering he's a half a foot shorter than Craig, he doesn't see his father coming off as intimidating.

"I'm prepared." He chuckled, getting up to turn the lights off in the room. The moon was bright, illuminating the room in a soft glow. Tweek stared at his reflection, bits of light streaking his face.

" _Love you, sweetheart. I'm so happy for you, even though you're in a tough situation with him currently_."

"I love you too, mom. And thank you…thank you for listening."

" _It's what I'm here for_."

* * *

"I'm sorry, you call me at seven thirty on a Sunday for _what?"_

 _"I need you to come to my niece's baptism."_

"Why didn't you tell me this _yesterday_?"

" _To be honest, I forgot until this morning when my sister called me a half an hour ago."_

"Jesus Christ, Craig."

" _I don't know why she's having the kid baptized, she doesn't go to church. I think it's for Dan."_ Sitting up, Tweek pinched the bridge of his nose, kicking the blankets aside.

"Who is Dan?" He asked, rummaging through his closet for a somewhat decent outfit.

" _My brother-in-law. He was raised Catholic, too, but I think he's doing it to appease his mother."_

"Makes sense," Tweek mumbled, tugging out shirts and holding them up to his body in the mirror. He put his phone on speaker and set it on his bed to make it easier to look through clothes. "Am I going to burst into flames when I walk into church?" Craig snorted, Tweek assuming he was getting dressed as he heard a belt buckle _clink_ lightly on the other end. It sent a wave of warmth flooding through him.

" _No because if I haven't already then you're fine."_

"Where's the church."

" _Denver. I can drive us."_

 _"_ Are you okay to drive? How are you feeling today, grandpa?."

" _Asshole. I'm feeling fine. Clyde brought over these tablets that are pure ginger after you left. They actually helped a lot for my stomach."_

 _"_ Happy to hear Nurse Clyde helped you. I love you, but I need to get ready."

" _Love you too. Pick you up in about forty minutes, kid."_ Tweek felt his heart flutter at the simple exchange as he hung up, grinning as he continued to plan his outfit. About ten minutes later, he crept out of his room and down the hall to brush his teeth. As he stared at his reflection, he grumbled as he spit into the sink after finishing up brushing his teeth, slender fingers working at his curls in an effort to tame them.

"Need help?" Tweek let out a yell, clutching his chest as he whipped around.

" _Fuck, Kyle!"_ He screeched, Kyle holding his hands up in mock defense.

"Good morning to you too."

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" He whined, batting his chest. Kyle snickered, turning Tweek around to face the mirror. He wet his fingers a bit, working on taming the blonde curls.

"So where are you off to that has you up this early, sleepy head?"

"Um, extra credit opportunity."

"What class?"

"Marketing."

"Really?"

"Mhm."

"I don't think church is an extra credit opportunity, Tweek." Kyle chuckled, Tweek's face turning as red as Kyle's hair.

"H-how did you-"

"It's easy to hear things on speaker phone when the apartment is quiet." Cursing under his breath, Tweek avoided Kyle's gaze, his friend humming softly as he continued working on his hair.

"What else did…did you hear?"

"…Everything…even the 'love you's'." Kyle said. The blonde bit his lip.

"P-Please don't tell Wendy or Stan…" Tweek whispered, swallowing hard. Letting his hands drop to Tweek's shoulder, he gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Your secret's safe with me." He whispered, turning and leaving the bathroom. Tweek looked at himself, blinking as Kyle did a pretty good job at taming his curls. They weren't slicked to his head, but they were out of his face and not sticking in every direction. Tugging at his mustard turtleneck, he walked into the kitchen to get something to eat before Craig arrived, the blonde pouring two travel cups of coffee when he got the text from Craig that he was outside. He clipped his keys to his belt loop and put his phone in his back pocket after sending a text to Craig that he was coming down. Getting on the elevator, the warmth from the two travel cups felt good on his hands, the apartment complex chilly this November Sunday morning. Tweek froze when he walked outside, blushing a bright red as he saw Craig leaning against his car. He wore a navy blue suit with a light yellow button up and brown dress shoes. He smiled the warmest smile at Tweek, the blonde convinced his boyfriend's smile was warming him up more than the coffee as he walked across the parking lot. _Boyfriend_. Grinning as he approached Craig, Tweek leaned up on the tips of his toes to press a gentle kiss to his lips, Craig humming softly.

"Good morning to you too."

"I brought coffee." He said, holding a cup out to Craig. Craig groaned softly, taking it and sipping at the coffee.

" _Thank you_." He groaned, grinning as he tugged the car door open. Tweek hummed as he walked across to the other side, climbing into the passenger seat. Looking over at Craig as he drove out of the parking lot, Tweek hummed.

"I feel underdressed."

"You look beautiful, kid." Craig chuckled, holding his coffee with one hand as he drove with the other.

"I…thank you." He breathed out, giggling a bit. The radio was playing some R&B song that sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure.

"My family will be excited." Craig said, Tweek blinking.

"They don't know I'm coming?"

"Nope," Craig smirked a bit, glancing over at him. "I told them I had a surprise, but didn't say anything more. And, man, they're gonna be real surprised when I present you as my boyfriend, kid."

* * *

 **NOTE:** A fluffy chapter after the shit I've been putting you all through! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter we'll be meeting the Tuckers! I can't wait to write this interaction, and I hope you're excited for it ;) and soon we'll be meeting up with the Tweaks! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	16. Lesson 16: Social Etiquette

They were quiet for a little while after their initial conversation, sleep still leaving their system as they sipped at their coffee. Craig was humming to the radio softly, Tweek glancing over from time to time to admire him. He looked better than he has over the past few weeks. Kelly decided to wait two weeks until the next treatment to give his body a rest, and it's doing wonders for him (or maybe it was those ginger tablets Clyde gave him last night that he mentioned). His color was starting to return, he was able to keep food and drinks down by the looks of it, and he had more energy. It made Tweek's stomach flip. The blonde knew Craig had lost weight. He could see it in his face more than anything. The dress shirt wasn't as snug as it used to be, but damn, if that navy suit didn't turn Tweek on. Despite the changes Craig has gone through, he was still _Craig,_ and that's what mattered to Tweek.

"I told my mom." Tweek blurted out suddenly, blushing a bit at his sudden outburst. Craig looked over at him momentarily before turning his attention back to the road.

"Yeah? How'd she react?" He chuckled, tilting the cup of coffee back to get the last little bit out.

"She seemed…a little surprised at first. But told me anyone that makes me sound so happy is a stand up _man_ in her book." Tweek smiled a bit as he saw Craig's eyes light up, cheeks turning a light pink.

"I-she likes me already?"

"Of course, Craig." Tweek laughed softly, turning in the seat to look at him fully.

"She hasn't even met me."

"Well…about that." Tweek trailed off, Craig squinting at him out of the corner of his eyes

"What?"

"How…would you feel…about maybe driving me home for fall break…and spending a few days with my family before Thanksgiving?" The blonde asked slowly, making sure he said everything correctly. Craig looked over at him.

"Seriously?"

"Eyes on the road!" Tweek yelped, pushing his cheek so it turned his head to look at the road. He felt Craig's smile on his fingertips. "But yes! Seriously. My parents really want to meet my first boyfriend…but fair warning, my dad will probably have a lot of questions. He can be protective of me."

"That's…sweet."

"He's a pretty cool guy." Tweek chuckled, sipping at the last bit of his own coffee.

"My mom can be the same way. But she's heard me babble on about you so much, I think she already has formed her opinion about you." Craig explained, Tweek biting his lower lip.

"S-Should I be worried? Is it a good opinion? What if she hates me?" He breathed out, Craig reaching over and grabbing his hand.

"Hey, breathe, kid. It'll be okay. She couldn't wait to meet you at some point the last time I mentioned you." Craig cooed, trying to get his boyfriend to calm down. _Boyfriend_. The word alone made his heart flip in his chest.

"I…promise?"

"Of course. Now, my sister? She might try and come off as some tough bitch, but you'll win her over quickly. You're interests are very similar."

"Yeah?"

"Just…play along with her. She'll ask you a lot of questions."

"So…you didn't answer my question about driving me home…" Tweek mumbled, Craig laughing softly,

"It would be my honor, kid."

* * *

Tweek hasn't step foot in a church since he was thirteen. It was for his grandmother's funeral. He always got a weird vibe from being in a church. He wasn't sure if it's the fact that people who often attend church think he's the worst since he's a homosexual, or the fact that he was forced to go at a young age and hated having to wake up on one of the two days he got to sleep in. When they pulled up, he could see a few people standing outside having a conversation, but none of them looked like anyone that could be related to Craig. Getting out of the car, he blushed a bit as he felt Craig's hand instinctively rest on his lower back, looking up at him.

"I got you, kid." He mumbled, sliding the hand to rest on his hip. The motion was so simple, yet offered so much comfort to the blonde, and he was thankful for that. As they approached the small group of people outside, the eldest woman's face lit up, a grin crossing her wrinkled skin. She wore bright red lipstick with a black dress. Her hair was in a short bob, dyed a dark brown with some gray roots showing through. She had bright blue eyes and a kind smile, one that you want to see when you enter a room of unfamiliar faces.

"Il mio bambino!" She practically squealed, Craig laughing softly as he ducked down to kiss her on the cheek. Her head just reached his chest.

"Ciao nonna." He chuckled, Tweek's eyes widening slightly. _Great. The first family member you meet and it's his beloved, adorable looking grandmother_.

"Chi è Lui?"

"Mio fidanzato." Craig said, Tweek assuming he said boyfriend. _Mio is 'my'…right?_

"Il tuo _fidanzato?!"_ She asked with a grin, smacking Craig's arm. He blushed a bit, looking at Tweek.

"Tweek, this is my grandmother, Marcella. Grandma, this is Tweek." Tweek blushed, sticking his hand out and smiling weakly. His heart was pounding so hard, it felt like it was going to fall loose and drop into his stomach.

"It-It's a pleasure to meet you!" He breathed out, blinking as Marcella grabbed his face and kissed each cheek.

"You Americans and handshakes." She laughed, a thick Italian accent coating her English. It was charming.

"Oh! Yeah, uh, my dad's a business man. Just habit I guess." He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What did you say your name was again?"

"Tweek."

"Hmmm. Interesting. Where you from?"

"I, uh, if you mean heritage wise, I'm pretty Irish and German I think?"

"Explains those freckles of yours! And your pale skin, too! And that blonde hair and those _curls!_ " She grabbed his face again, running her thumbs over his cheeks and nose. Tweek's face was almost as red as her lipstick, Craig chuckling softly.

"Dov'è mamma e papa?"

"Dentro." She waved a hand over her shoulder, Craig grabbing Tweek's hand.

"Ne parleremo dopo, nonna!" Craig called out as he tugged Tweek inside.

"Uh, ciao!" Tweek called out, waving. Marcella laughed softly, waving at the two boys. Once inside, Tweek shivered slightly as he looked around the vast area, face hot as he linked his fingers with Craig's. It felt wrong holding hands with a man in church, but it also felt so right. _Suck it, Jesus…wait, please don't strike me down, I didn't mean that!_ He let out a yelp when he felt a set of hands drop on his shoulder, hearing a familiar voice.

"Shit Craig, you're bringing him to church now?!" Clyde laughed, Token and Jimmy wandering over as well. Craig rolled his eyes, trying not to smile.

"It's my niece's baptism. Of course I'm going to bring _my boyfriend_ to that." Tweek loved how easily the word flowed from Craig's mouth, the man almost excited to say it each and every time.

"You're shitting me." Token chuckled, looking Tweek up and down.

"J-Jesus, you-you finally grew-grew a pair!" Jimmy laughed, Craig's face turning a light pink. Tweek enjoyed this side of Craig. He seemed so loose and carefree around his family and friends in a this setting. It was refreshing, reminding Tweek that Craig Tucker was, in fact, a human. Just like him.

"I've always had a pair, dickhead." Craig snickered, shoving Jimmy's arm playfully.

"I like the new do!" Token said, rubbing his hand over Craig's short hair. Craig shoved his hand away, smirking.

"I do, too." A new voice said. Whipping around, Craig grinned as his mother and father walked up. Tweek's ears started ringing, breath shaky as he realized _who these people where_. Clyde gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze as he felt the blonde shake a bit, leaning down to his ear.

"They're so easy to talk to, you'll be fine." He whispered, Tweek glancing over at him. Nodding slowly, Tweek walked over to join Craig's side, chest tight with nerves. Craig immediately slid an arm around his waist, thumb running over his hip gently.

"I had a little help." Craig chuckled, nodding his head down towards Tweek. The blonde took a moment to look at the two people in front of him. His mom was blonde, no gray in sight. Either she dyed her hair or she was just a natural beauty. Probably the latter. Neutral toned makeup sat on her face, the first signs of wrinkles under her eyes and by her mouth. Her hair rested on her shoulders, which looked nice against her red dress, and Tweek noticed she had a dusting of freckles that crossed her nose and cheeks and even went up to her forehead. His father was handsome. Very handsome, in Tweek's opinion. Tall, strong jaw, slightly curled red hair that was starting to recede, same tan skin as Craig. He was the epitome of a man, honestly, and it was intimidating to the blonde, despite being only an inch shorter than him. His mother smiled, her teeth incredibly white and straight.

"Is…is this who I think it is?" She mumbled, beautifully done eyebrow raising at her son. Craig smirked a bit, only nodding his head once. She took a few steps forward, Tweek gasping softly as she took his face in her hands. She didn't say anything at first, but then she smirked. "Handsome," She patted his cheek. "He's very handsome, and quite adorable, too." Tweek's face heated up under her touch, which caused her to laugh.

"I-I'm Tweek." He choked out, swallowing hard before smiling. She hummed, thumb running over the curve his cheek made.

"I know who you are, sweetheart," She chuckled, letting her hands fall to his shoulder. "I'm Laura. I've heard an insane amount about you." Tweek let out a nervous laugh, glancing over her shoulder as Craig's fathered appeared.

"Thomas." He simply said, holding a hand out. Swallowing, Tweek took it, yelping softly as the grip nearly crushed his hand. It was still an inviting handshake, however.

"It-It's my pleasure." He breathed out, fist clutching at the bottom of his turtleneck. Craig placed a hand on his lower back, looking at him.

"Tweek's my boyfriend." Craig said, looking up at his parents. Laura blinked, lip quirking up slightly.

"Well, this is a new development to the plot of your story." She laughed, Thomas chuckling.

"When did this happen?" He asked.

"Literally yesterday."

"And he's already at your niece's baptism?"

"Had to introduce you to him somewhere."

"And you chose a church?"

"You've done some questionable things, too, dad." Craig chuckled, Thomas smirking as he shook his head.

"Bene fatto, Craig." He snorted, everyone who was outside starting to pour into the church.

"Come on, kid, we're up front." Craig murmured, Tweek blinking.

"I-I'm, uh, sitting with family?"

"Of course," Laura said, glancing over her shoulder as they walked. "You're being baptized into the Tucker family today, too."

* * *

His sister was stunning. Tweek couldn't take his eyes off her, Craig's words ringing in his head the entire duration of the baptism: _"She might try and come off as some tough bitch, but you'll win her over quickly."_ Tweek sure hoped he won her over quickly. Her hair was long, curly, and red (like her father's) and she wore it partially pulled up with a white bow. Her husband, Dan, also had curly hair, styled similarly to Tweek's. He was brunette, his hair on the lighter side, though. Pretty green eyes, strong jaw peppered with stubble, and he was about five inches taller than Tricia. Their baby, Maura, was beautiful. Curly brown hair like her father and her mother's blue eyes. She had her father's nose. The entire process was relatively quick and painless, but as they stood up after everything was said and done, Tweek felt his stomach start to do flip flops again. It was the last Tucker he had to meet, and yet, she seemed more intimidating to meet than Craig's parents. A flood of people made their way up to see the baby, Tweek looking up at Craig.

"I-I don't know if I can meet her." He admitted in a whisper, Craig grabbing his chin.

"Why not, kid? Cat got your tongue?"

"N-Not exactly. Your sister does."

"She won't bite."

"You-you're the one that said she can come off as a bitch." He whispered, voice a squeak. Craig chuckled softly, pressing a quick peck to his lips. Tweek's lips tingled, unsure if it was the electricity between Craig and him, or the fact he just kissed a man in church and he was about to burst into flames.

"Tweek, she's gonna love you."

"Hey, Craigory, how're your tits?" Whipping his head around, Tweek looked at Tricia Tucker up close for the first time, his nerves not settling in the slightest. She cradled Maura to her chest, the notion so natural to her as she did it with one arm. Her other hand rested on her hip, a smirk on her pink lips.

"Shut the fuck up, Tricia, they're _fine_."

"Chemo kicking your ass, huh? Nice new haircut."

" _I_ did it myself."

"Really? All that? By yourself?" Craig flipped her off, his sister immediately returning the notion. It was the most bizarre interaction Tweek has ever seen, but the stoic look on Tricia's face broke out into a grin, Craig's as well. He leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek, then to Maura's forehead as Tricia passed her off to Craig. The mere sight made Tweek's heart flutter, Craig's mismatched eyes lighting up as the bubbly baby grabbed onto his index finger and chewed on it lightly. She was a little over a month old, but she was as bright and full of life as ever. Tricia nodded her head over towards Tweek. "Who's blondie?" She asked, Tweek's face heating up again.

"Tricia, this is Tweek, my boyfriend." He said, immediately returning his attention to the baby in his arms. Tricia smirked.

" _Boyfriend_? Shit, you're kidding, right?"

"N-nope! It, uh, is real nice to meet you." Tweek breathed out, offering a nervous smile. Tricia looked him up and down, humming.

"How'd you let my brother wrangle you into his life?"

"We, uh, met at school."

"Like college or…?"

"W-Well, sort of…?" Tweek squeaked out, not knowing how much she knew. He glanced over at Craig, who shook his head slightly. Tweek nodded, knowing what it meant. _She doesn't know_. "I work at a coffee shop on the campus at the University of, uh, Colorado-Boulder. He came in one night and we just…hit it off." Tweek said, Tricia nodding slowly.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty five." Tweek lied, Craig smirking slightly behind Tricia.

"Going for a young one, huh?" She chuckled, glancing over at Craig. _Oh god, you don't know the half of it_.

"You could say that." Craig chuckled, hand resting on Maura's stomach now. The baby was curling into his chest. Tricia looked back at Tweek.

"Well, you're more than welcome to join us back at my house for the after party in a sense. Well, it's not really a party, just a gathering of the sorts for some refreshments and lunch." She said, Craig speaking before Tweek could.

"We'll see you there, Tric." Craig said, handing Maura back over to her. Tricia smirked as she turned.

"Nice meeting you, Tweek!" She shouted over her shoulder, walking back over to her husband. Swallowing hard, Tweek looked up at Craig. He looked around before talking between his teeth, making sure no one heard.

"So, when were you planning to tell me your mom is the only person in your family who knows the truth about us?"

* * *

Craig called his mom in the car to not saying anything about the truth to his dad and sister. At least not yet. She understood, knowing the risk factor increased now that they were public with their relationship. The drive to Tricia's house was quiet, but they held hands, offering a silent comfort to each other. When they pulled up, people were getting out of their cars and walking up to the cute two story home that was just outside of Denver. Clyde, Token, and Jimmy met them in the driveway, Craig informing them about what he told his mom: _don't mention the truth about Tweek to Tricia or Thomas_. Like Laura, they understood as well. Upon entering the house, Tweek couldn't help but smile. The décor reminded him of something he'd see out of a magazine, the set up as well. It had cool blues and warm grays scattered throughout the living room, the colors reminding him of the beach in a way. Family photos and wedding pictures hung on the walls, one of Tricia and Craig catching his eye. They were younger in it, probably around twenty and seventeen, on a family vacation to a lake. They were in a row boat, both waving to their parents in the image. It made Tweek relax about Tricia.

"I don't think we've met." Turning around, Tweek blinked as he recognized Dan, Tricia's husband.

"Oh! Yes, I, um, I'm Tweek. Pleasure." He said, shaking the outstretched hand in front of him. Dan smiled, Tweek realizing the attraction to him on Tricia's end.

"I saw you talking with Tricia and Craig. How do you know the Tucker's? Haven't seen you around before." He chuckled, Tweek swallowing.

"I, uh, I'm Craig's boyfriend." Dan's eyebrow raised.

"Really? How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"A day." Tweek smiled as Dan let out a laugh.

"And he's already asking you to come to family events?"

"We've known each other since August. I work at a coffee shop on the campus of University of Colorado-Boulder where he works."

"Ah, makes sense," Dan said, looking over his shoulder. "Come on, everyone's hanging out in the kitchen." Tweek nodded as he followed, smiling a bit as he saw Craig and Clyde leaning against the island, munching on cheese and crackers. He approached the two, Clyde holding a slice of cheese out to him.

"H're! T'ste th's!" He said around a mouth full of food, Tweek smiling as he took it. Popping the slice in his mouth, he hummed as he chewed slowly, savoring the taste.

"Mozzarella?" He asked, Clyde nodding.

"Craig's grandma made it!"

"Really?"

"She loves making mozzarella. Says it keeps her young." Craig chuckled, taking a sip of his water.

"Dan seems nice." He said, Craig humming.

"You met Daniel?"

"Does he go by Daniel?"

"No, he goes by Dan."

"Why did you say Daniel?"

"Cause I can, kid, now eat some cheese." Tweek went to speak, but his mouth was filled with another slice of mozzarella that Craig shoved in. He glared at Craig as he chewed, the man smirking at him. Tricia came walking over, Tweek assuming Maura was now with Dan.

"I'm interesting in learning more about you, Tweek." She said suddenly, Tweek covering his mouth with his hand as he chewed.

"L'ke wh't?" He said around the food, Tricia humming.

"So, how long have you known Craig?" Tweek swallowed the cheese, glancing at Craig.

"Since August."

"What kind of coffee do you make?"

"Any and all. My dad owns a coffee shop about an hour outside Denver in my hometown."

"Where you from?"

"South Park."

"Mountain town, huh?"

"Yeah! I'm a mountain kid." Tweek laughed nervously. _What the fuck? A mountain kid?! Really, Tweek?!_

"What did you major in?"

"Business." _Well, technically, you're still majoring in it._

"Just a general business degree?"

"Yeah! I'm trying to follow in my dad's footsteps."

"So you want a coffee shop?"

"Jesus Christ, Tricia, you've surpassed your question limit." Craig groaned, grabbing Tweek's hand to tug him between Clyde and him.

"I'm just interested in him, ya know. You haven't dated anyone since Chris." Tweek blinked as he felt Craig tense under his hand, looking up to see his face dropped.

"Don't…don't say his name, Tricia." He mumbled, his sister biting her lip.

"Sorry…forgot." She admitted, Craig rubbing the back of his neck.

"Look, if you want to get to know him, why don't you stop playing the bitch card and get to actually know him?" Craig said bluntly, Clyde yelling with his mouth shut as he quickly turned and walked away to find Token or Jimmy no doubt. Tricia blinked, her eyebrows raised.

" _Bitch card?"_

"Yeah! You play this bitchy character to anyone new and I know that isn't you. You're not like that!" He explained, Tricia's mouth opening. However, she quickly snapped it shut. She sighed suddenly, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'm sorry I just…look, Maura's been fussy at night recently and I'm just…protective of you, alright?" She looked at Tweek.

"You want to sit with a drink somewhere, Tweek?" She asked, a soft smile on her face. It was kinder than before, and Tweek let his guard down for the first time with her.

"Yeah…yeah sounds nice." He breathed out, giving Craig's hand a squeeze and shooting him a soft smile. He followed Tricia to where they had a small bar of alcohol set up, humming softly as he looked at the liquor choices.

"What's your poison, kid?" She chuckled, Tweek's heart thudding at the name.

"Um…some margarita mix is fine." He said, Tricia humming.

"I can make you an _actual_ margarita. I used to bartend."

"Where are?"

"Some bar in the middle of the city. Called O'Shays." She said, getting to work on making his drink. Tweek watched, noticing she was quite good.

"How long did you work there?"

"About two years. Worked there during the summer in college."

"Makes sense."

"Any weird summer jobs for you in college?" She passed his drink over, Tweek taking a sip and humming.

"Not really. I worked in the coffee shop with my dad over the summer." _You still do, kid_.

"What do you do now?" Tricia asked as she finished making her cosmopolitan. She motioned for Tweek to follow, leading him to the couch in the living room. Tweek had been rapidly thinking of what he could be doing.

"Well, right now I'm still working with my dad. I work pretty much full time. Almost like a business partner at this point. I'm hoping to break off and start my own place within the next three years or so." He explained. _Shit, you should get back into acting. You haven't lost it from high school_. Tricia nodded as she sipped at her drink.

"How long did it take you to realize you liked my brother?" Tweek smiled at the question, stirring the small straw in his drink around.

"Not long. He was just so charming the first time he came in. Once he left, I was afraid I wouldn't see him again. So…I guess immediately." It was the first thing he said, besides his name, that was truthful to Tricia.

"That's romantic and cheesy as shit, but that sounds like Craig. He's always been a huge flirt."

"Yeah? Even to this…Chris guy?" He whispered, Tricia blinking.

"He hasn't told you about him?" Tweek shook his head.

"We just made ourselves official yesterday, but even in the months leading up, he hasn't mentioned anything."

"Wait, _yesterday?_ And you're already at family shit?" Tweek nodded, causing Tricia to smile. She raised her glass. "Cheers to you, Tweek." They both laughed softly as they _clinked_ their glasses, both taking a drink.

"Your home is very lovely." Tweek said, looking around. Tricia smiled.

"It's my pride and joy, honestly. Dan was super helpful with the handy stuff, but he left me in charge of the décor."

"Smart man."

"Indeed."

"How did you two meet?"

"College. He was friends with me for a while and near the end of sophomore year we started flirting. It didn't go anywhere until a year after we graduated. He was the same major as me so that's how we met. Dated until he proposed at twenty four and we got married a year later. The rest…well, it's history." She sighed dreamily, looking over Tweek's shoulder into the kitchen at her husband. He was laughing with some of his friends, holding Maura close to him. Tweek turned to look at him, smiling softly.

"He's very charming." Tweek hummed, turning back to look at her. The dreamy look on her face said it all: she had found her soulmate.

"He really is," She chuckled, sipping at cosmopolitan. "So I have another question for you."

"Fire away." He said, smiling softly. Tricia bit her lip, watching Tweek take a drink.

"How old are you really?" She murmured, Tweek swallowing his drink hard. It hurt his throat. He blinked.

"I-I told you. I'm twenty five." He breathed out, laughing nervously. Tricia shook her head.

"You're lying."

"I-I'm-"

"Tweek, it's okay," She said, placing a hand on top of his. "I mean…you two obviously have a reason to lie. I won't say a word. Secrets are sort of my specialty. I was the first person Craig came out to." She assured, moving a little closer to him so they didn't have to speak so loudly. Tweek bit his lip, glancing over his shoulder to Craig. He was laughing with Clyde, Token, and Jimmy. Even though Tweek didn't notice it, Tricia did: he had that same dreamy look on his face under his anxiety. Turning back to her, he let out a shaky sigh.

"Twenty one." He whispered, Tricia licking her lips slowly. The motion reminded Tweek of Craig.

"How did you two really meet?"

"We really did meet at the coffee shop I work at on campus."

"But…you're a student…aren't you?" She whispered, Tweek avoiding her gaze as he looked everywhere but her face.

"Y-Yeah."

"You're a business student?"

"U-Uh-huh."

"Which means you have to take economics," She whispered slowly, her eyes softening as she slowly realized the situation and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Her heart twisted at the way Tweek's eyes welled up. He nodded, his voice betraying him. "You…you're one of his students…aren't you?" She breathed out, Tweek squeezing his eyes shut before he nodded.

"I-I didn't know he was my professor when we met…" He breathed out, his anxiety taking over. One more person knew of them. The total was up to seven. Seven too many, in Tweek's opinion. Tricia linked their fingers together, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. In her eyes, Tweek was still just a kid, trying to figure out what he wanted in life. By the looks of it however, there was one thing Tricia knew Tweek was certain of: he wanted her brother, and her brother wanted Tweek.

"You can't help who you fall in love with, Tweek." She whispered, Tweek wiping his cheeks with the palm of his free hand.

"I-It's just…I'm so afraid he'll lose his job because of-of me…" He hiccupped, taking a long gulp of his drink.

"I have no doubt he thinks about it, too. But my brother is one of the smartest people I know. He wouldn't have done this if he wasn't serious about you. He hasn't looked at someone this way since Chris…at least, the beginning of that relationship."

"W-What happened with them?"

"Chris…well ,they starting dating when Craig was twenty four. Dated on and off for two years. I always hated the guy. He was manipulative and emotionally abusive to Craig. Did everything in his power to get him to stay with him. One day, Craig finally had enough, and he left for good finally. The whole incident put a bitter taste in his mouth towards dating, however," She explained, Tweek's eyes widening. "It's been hookups for him for nearly four years now. Well, he barely has hookups, anymore. He has one biannually it seems."

"I-I've never had a boyfriend…it-it was always hookups for me…" Tweek whispered, blushing.

"You're good for him." Tricia said, Tweek staring at her.

"H-How do you know?"

"He's going through the hardest thing a person can go through, yet you're helping him through this scary thing. You're being supportive and bringing the old Craig out. He talked about a mysterious blonde figure every time he's visited the past three months. He hasn't flapped his gums about a man in a long time. At least not to the extent that he has with you." She chuckled, downing the last of her drink. Tweek smiled a bit, sniffling as he finished off his drink as well.

"Thank you, Tricia." He whispered.

"For what?"

"Listening…it-it felt good just…telling someone. Someone close to Craig." He explained.

"Hey, can't get much closer than the girl who came from the same balls and vagina as him." She teased, Tweek letting out a soft laugh.

"Um…this is…u-unrelated but…I have a question…about Craig."

"My favorite kind of question."

"Well…I…I want to do something. Something outside of my comfort zone that I've thought about doing for a while. It's something that _I think_ …might drive him up a wall." Tricia's face lit up.

"Like in the… _sexual_ manner?" Tweek nodded. "I'm intrigued. I love it when my brother is forced to be sexually frustrated. It's hilarious to watch," Tweek bit his lip, leaning over and whispering into her ear. Her face lit up as he spoke, a grin crawling across her face. "He'd bust a fucking nut." She gasped, grabbing Tweek's hands. Tweek blushed and grinned back at her.

"Do-do you really think so? I've always wanted to, but wasn't sure. I thought maybe he'd like it. Normally, I wouldn't do something strictly for a guy, but…he's different…at least to me." He explained, Tricia giggling.

"I'll go with you! Please?! Can I?!"

"Would you really want to?" He asked, face lighting up.

"Of course! You have to promise me one thing, though."

"What's that?"

"You have to text me, in great detail, my brother's reaction to it. I want to know if he lets out that stupid squeak he normally does when he's trying not to cream his jeans."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Ho ho what could Tweek and Tricia be plotting? ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter of fluff! I love writing the Tucker's so much! A brief translation of Craig's conversation with his grandmother: basically she asks "who's this?" and he says "My boyfriend." She replies "Your boyfriend?!" and that's pretty much the jist! The other stuff is like "where's mom and dad?" "inside". And Thomas says to Criag "Well played, Craig." Sorry if any Italian is off, I'm relying on google translate (despite having just done a semester of Italian haha!) Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	17. Lesson 17: The Plot of the Terrible T's

Tricia nicknamed them "The Terrible T's" after having spent another two hours talking with Tweek on Sunday. They made a plan to go out Tuesday after Tweek had class (coincidentally, her brother's class) and she offered her assistance with helping him run her brother up a wall. Sure, it might be weird that she's basically helping her brother get laid, but Tricia liked Tweek, and she wanted this relationship to succeed. If not for Craig, than for Tweek, because he was still so young and she sees the way he looks at her brother as if he was the world. Tricia sat in her car outside of the building Tweek's class was in on campus. She was playing a game on her phone as she chewed on a piece of bubble gum, humming softly to the radio as she waited for the blonde. He had texted her saying he was going to wait about five minutes after class let out so his friends weren't suspicious of him getting into a car of someone they didn't know (which made sense to her). Glancing up, she smirked a bit when she saw the blonde coming out of the building, lips red and slightly swollen.

"What the fuck were you sucking on that got your lips looking like that?" She chuckled, Tweek's face turning a bright red.

"U-Um, just kissing." He breathed out, smiling a bit. Tricia laughed softly as she pulled out of the parking lot, glancing over at him.

"My brother must really like you in order to put a hurting on your lips like that." She said, Tweek humming as he ran his fingertips over his still swollen lips. He could still feel the warmth of Craig's lips on his.

"Y-Yeah…he does." He whispered, biting on his finger nail to stop himself from grinning too wide.

"So, I know this great shop we can go to."

"What's it called?"

"Whiskers."

"Kinky."

"Indeed," She laughed, blowing a bubble with her gum. Once it popped and she pulled the pink candy back into her mouth, she hummed. "Have you ever worn lingerie before, Tweek?" She asked, Tweek's face flushing a bright red.

"N-Never. I, uh, I've never been super confident about my body. I just recently tried loving myself a little more and it's been, uh, pretty successful! Craig really likes me for who I am, so I've been trying that out, and I like it." He explained, Tricia smiling a bit.

"Craig's a big sucker for a killer pair of legs. _Especially_ a killer pair of legs attached to thick thighs that _so happen_ to be attached to an itty bitty waist." She chuckled, Tweek letting out a soft laugh.

"Thanks for taking me out." He said suddenly, looking up at her.

"It's no problem, Tweek. Besides, lingerie is kind of my specialty."

"You frequent lingerie shops, Tricia Tucker?" He laughed, Tricia laughing as well.

"I do, actually! I like to buy some for special occasions."

"Such as?"

"Birthdays, anniversaries, celebrating the end of the week, Maura going to bed at a decent hour." She teased, Tweek giggling a bit.

"How is mother hood treating you, by the way?" He asked, rummaging in his backpack for his thermos.

"It's wonderful! Hard at times, but overall, it's been wonderful. Dan has been a huge help on days where I'm just so tired. He'll come home and make dinner while I care for her or vice versa. I'm on maternity leave for now, but it's been a nice break." She said, Tweek nodding as he sipped at his coffee.

"Want some?" He offered, holding the thermos out. She nodded, rolling the window down slightly to toss her piece of gum out the window before taking the thermos and sipping from it. She blinked, passing it back over.

"That…that's amazing coffee."

"Thanks! I made it this morning."

" _You_ made it?"

"It's sort of how I won your brother over." Tweek chuckled, tucking the thermos back into his backpack.

"That's right…you work at a coffee shop. Your parents own a coffee shop. You eat, sleep, and breathe coffee."

"That's me!" Tweek laughed, leaning back in the seat. They fell quiet for a while, both singing along to the old nineties songs that played on the radio. While at a red light, Tricia snapped a picture of Tweek grinning, the early afternoon sun lighting up his facial features. She giggled, sending the picture to Craig.

 _Stole your boo for the afternoon._

* * *

The lingerie shop was intimidating. Well, at least to Tweek. Tricia treated it like her second home. The clerk, Janie, even remembered Tricia. They greeted each other with a kiss to each cheek, Tweek shifting on his feet while they talked.

"You had a kid a month ago and you're already back to your pre-pregnancy body?!" Janie gasped, Tricia laughing.

"Almost! About seven more pounds to lose!"

"Hot damn, girl! So, what's the occasion today?"

"Well, for the first time ever, _I'm_ not buying lingerie today," She looked over her shoulder, smirking at Tweek. "I'm helping my brother's boo out." Tweek blushed, taking a few steps forward to stand next to Tricia. He was so much taller than her, but her presence was bigger.

"You're helping your brother get laid, Tric?" Janie laughed, Tricia rolling her eyes.

"Look, he's got this whole cancer shit going on right now and I think he deserves this, ya know?! He finally found a stand-up guy and I want to see this last!" She explained, Tweek's heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't help but a smile at bit at her words. It had only been a few days since he last saw her, but Tricia already thought so highly of him. To put it simply, it meant the world to Tweek knowing he had Tricia Tucker's approval.

"Oh, shit, that's right," Janie beckoned them to follow, leading them to the men's section of the shop. It was significantly smaller than the women's section, but Tweek was to expect that. The men's section did have a nice variety by the looks of it, however. "How's he holding up?"

"He knows more than I do." Tricia said, nodding her head towards Tweek.

"He, uh, he's been okay! Chemo has been rough on his stomach, so he's losing weight from being sick and not eating. He's been doing better this week! He has two weeks until his next appointment to give his body a break." Tweek said, both Tricia and Janie nodding.

"So you want to give him a little treat I take it?" Janie asked, Tweek's face flushing a bright red. It matched the red lingerie Janie held up against his frame.

"Well, um, when-when you put it that way…yes?"

"There's…another surprise that he has in store for my brother." Tricia said, grinning as she leaned over to whisper into Janie's ear. Janie let out a laugh, a grin on her face.

"Craig will love it no doubt. He loves shit like that," Janie chuckled. _How far back does their history go?_ "So, what color were you thinking?" She asked, Tweek humming low in his throat as he thought.

"Either, uh, b-black or maybe navy blue. He-He likes blue."

"I hope you give him blue balls." Tricia snickered, Tweek's eyes widening.

"Oh _G-God_." Tweek choked out, grabbing each piece of lingerie that Janie handed over to him.

"Would you say you're a large?"

"P-Probably."

"You got some nice thighs, kiddo."

"T-Tweek! My, uh, name's Tweek." He said, Janie chuckling.

"Interesting name."

"It gets worse."

"What do you mean?" Tricia asked, brows furrowed as they walked to the changing room. Tweek drew the curtain shut, taking his clothes off. He puffed his cheeks out as he started wiggling into the lingerie, face and chest turning red from feeling flustered.

"Well, my first name is Tweek…and so is my last name."

"So your name is…Tweek Tweek?" Janie asked.

"Well, my first name is T-w-e-e-k," He grunted, letting out a yelp as he nearly lost his balance tugging a stocking on. "And my last name is T-w-e-a-k. My parents weren't super creative." He breathed out, hooking the garters as he adjusted the straps on his shoulders.

"Seems like it." Janie laughed, blinking as he tugged the curtain open. Tweek shifted on his feet again, looking down at himself. Thigh high stockings attacked to a pair of briefs with black garters, which led into a lace top, almost like a tight tank top, that stretched across his pale torso. Tricia whistled low.

"Hot damn, Double T!"

"D-Double T?"

"Well, your initials are T and T, so Double T!" She giggled, Tweek letting out a soft, breathy laugh.

"This one was so convoluted to get on." He chuckled, Janie humming.

"Here," She went to the dressing room, looking through the lingerie she picked out. She hummed as she saw one she particularly liked, placing it on top. "This one's a best seller. Simple yet sexy. Try it," She said, patting his ass as he walked back into the dressing room. Normally, someone he just met patting his ass as he walked past would make Tweek jump, but something about Janie was easy to be around. Maybe it's because she made him feel confident? She picked out such tight outfits, feeling confident in Tweek's ability to pull them off. It felt _good_. He slowly worked on taking the lingerie he was wearing off. "So where did you and Craig meet?" Janie asked, Tweek humming as he looked at himself in the mirror again. He snapped a quick picture over his shoulder in the mirror, making sure the lingerie was out of frame. His underwear had gotten caught in the black briefs when he tugged them down, so he took the opportunity to send a _super almost nude_ to Craig. He giggled a bit as he sent it.

 _Hope teaching isn't too boring. Thinking of you ;)_

"He came into where I work!" He said as he finished sending the text. Tricia smirked a bit as she heard him giggling.

"Are you sending nudes, Double T?"

"Wh-no!...Just my ass."

"Classy." Janie laughed.

"Wait, you made sure the lingerie was out of frame right?!" Tricia gasped, Tweek laughing softly as he looked himself over in the mirror in the new piece.

"Of course," He tugged the curtain open, both Tricia and Janie gasping and grabbing onto each other with open mouths. "I'm no fool."

" _That's it! That's the one! Second times the charm!"_ Tricia laughed, jumping up and down with Janie. Their laughter and cheering filled the shop, Tricia grabbing her breasts suddenly. " Jesus Christ, fucking breast milk hurts." She laughed, Janie rubbing her back as she laughed.

"That's the one, Tweek. You're gonna kill this man."

* * *

The Terrible T's made one more pit stop before they called it a day, Tweek trying his hardest to ignore the text messages Craig was sending his way. However, it was getting harder to ignore.

"Your phone sounds like it's going to explode." Tricia laughed, hanging up with Dan to let her know she was coming home. It was getting close to five o'clock.

"It's Craig. Probably just saw the ass picture I sent." He laughed, finally opening the phone and reading his messages from the top.

 **Are you for real?**

 **Why are you doing this to me?**

 **I've been so fucking horny it isn't even funny.**

 **Why are you doing this?**

 **Fuck, I gotta jerk off.**

 **But I'm still teaching my last section.**

 **WHY DID YOU DO THIS?!**

 **God, look at your ass!**

 **So GOOD!**

Tweek covered his mouth to stop his giggles as he read, but suddenly gasped and dropped his phone. Scrambling to pick it up, Tricia looked over.

"What?"

"N-NOTHING!" Tweek practically yelled, locking his phone. Tricia blinked, smirking at him.

"Tweek, you can tell me-"

"N-Not this time!" He squeaked, face flushing a bright red as he covered his mouth. Tricia blinked, thinking about what her brother could've possibly sent. She fell silent for a while as she thought, suddenly gasping.

"Did he send you _a dick pic?!"_ She yelled, smacking his chest. Tweek squeaked, but nodded. "Shit! I could've seen his dick! Thank you for saving me _that_ embarrassment by acting quick, but I'm gonna kick his ass!" She whined, but she was grinning despite her outburst. They looked at each other for a moment, both finally bursting out laughing. After a few more minutes, they pulled into Tweek's apartment complex, Tricia grabbing his hand. "Wait, wait. I have to ask…what was his caption with the pic?" Tweek's face heated up again, turning so she couldn't see the phone and even going as far to lower the brightness so it didn't reflect off the window. Swallowing hard, Tweek read it over first before his face cracked into a smile.

" _I've missed you lately and here's some proof_." He giggled out, Tricia giggling as well at how ridiculous it sounded out loud. She kept her grip on Tweek's hand, staring at him.

"I meant what I said about you two working out, Double T." She whispered suddenly, Tweek locking his phone and looking up.

"I, um…what makes… _me…_ so special?" He asked, voice soft as well. The hum of the engine was the only sound to fill the car for a minute, Tricia's lip twitching slightly.

"Craig…he hasn't had a good track record with guys. I just want him happy, ya know? That's what any sibling wants for their older brother or sister. Or their little brother or sister. He's seen me find my happiness…and I've been patiently waiting for him to find his. I…something about you…makes me think you can be that happiness for him." She whispered, smiling softly at Tweek. The blonde's eyes were wide, lip quivering slightly. He sniffled, ducking his head down.

"S-Sorry. I-I mean, thank you! I just… _I-I love him_." He breathed out, looking back up after he wiped his face. Tricia smiled, cupping his face in her hands.

"I know you do, Double T. I knew the second I saw you two kiss in church Sunday."

* * *

It was the weekend before they were meant to travel to South Park, and Tweek still hasn't shown Craig his two surprises, despite being almost two weeks later. At his chemo treatment Wednesday, Craig had invited Tweek over for dinner Friday night, and Tweek had to stop himself from grinning. _Perfect_. As he laid his outfit out on his bed Friday night, he hummed as he opened up his top drawer of his dresser, the lingerie he bought sitting in the bag still to the side of the drawer. He blushed as he pulled it out, humming softly as he carefully put it on to wear under his clothes. As he tugged a black turtleneck down over his torso, a soft knock echoed through the room.

"Come in!" He called out, lacing up his boots. Wendy wandered in, leaning against the closed door behind her.

"Hot date?" She teased, Tweek chuckling a bit.

"Could say that." He said, looking at himself in the mirror. He wore light blue jeans with a black turtleneck and maroon combat boots, a grin on his face as he fixed up his hair a bit. Wendy watched him, humming.

"So…when were you going to tell me you were officially dating our professor?" She said, Tweek tensing up. He glanced over at her in the mirror as she moved to sit on his bed.

"I, um, who told you _that?"_ He asked, playing dumb.

"You know Kyle can't keep a secret very long." She chuckled, Tweek cursing under his breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Does Stan know, too?" He mumbled, Wendy humming.

"Yeah," She laid down on the bed, biting her bottom lip. "Why didn't you tell us?" Wendy whispered, a hint of hurt in her voice.

"I…I'm _sorry_ …we didn't want a lot of p-people knowing…" He breathed out, turning to look at her. Wendy slowly rolled onto her side to face him.

"I thought we told each other everything, Tweek."

"We do!"

"But not the fact you _finally_ got a boyfriend?"

"Wendy, you know that if it was under a-any other circumstances, you'd be the first person I tell…well, besides my mom. But this is _our professor_ we're talking about. As in _I could get him fired_! Believe me, it was _killing me_ that I couldn't t-tell you." He choked out, Wendy looking at his face. She sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry I just…It's been a long week leading up to break…I just felt a little hurt…"

"I have no doubt and I _really_ am sorry." He whispered, Wendy smiling a bit.

"C'mere," She chuckled, standing and tugging him into a hug. She froze after a moment. "Tweek?"

"Um…yeah?"

"What are you… _wearing_ under this?" She asked, hands running over his sides. Pulling away, she saw that her friend's face was flushed a bright red. He slowly lifted up his turtleneck, revealing the lingerie. Well, at least the top half. Wendy gasped and grinned, running her fingers over the material.

" _You didn't!"_

 _"_ Craig's sister helped me pick it out."

"Oh, she's so _evil_! I love it!" She blinked, looking closer. "Did you-"

"Yeah." He breathed out, Wendy grinning a little wider.

"Oh, shit, Tweek! You're going to make this man have a stroke tonight."

* * *

Their dinner conversation was light, both too wrapped up in each other as their feet tangled together under the table. They attempted to make lemon garlic pasta, and, to their surprise, it turned out pretty decent. As Tweek stood, he grabbed their now empty dishes, walking over to the sink. Craig leaned on the palm of his hand, elbow on the table.

"You look… _amazing_." Craig purred, eyes raking up and down Tweek's body. The blonde glanced over his shoulder, smiling as he turned back around to finish cleaning up the dishes.

"You like the outfit? I bought the jeans with my birthday money." He chuckled, Craig standing up. Slowly, he walked over, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind. He let out a low hum as he pressed his hips forward, Tweek biting his lip as he felt how _hard_ Craig already was.

"They do wonders for you, kid." He mumbled against the side of his face, placing light kisses to his skin. Tweek smiled a bit as he grabbed the last dish, trying to stop himself from grinning as Craig ran his hand up under his turtleneck. The older man knew something was off. It wasn't the usual soft skin that greeted him. Whatever he was touching was still soft, just not soft like _Tweek_.

"You okay?" Tweek whispered, turning the water off and drying his hands.

"…What are you wearing?" Craig practically growled, Tweek whimpering softly. Turning himself around in Craig's grip, Tweek gasped as he was immediately pinned between the edge of the counter and Craig's hips once more.

"There's no fun in me _telling you_ ," Tweek giggled, pressing a light kiss to Craig's cheek before moving next to his ear. "Go lie down in your room and _I'll show you_." He breathed out, Craig cursing under his breath as he turned and went to his room without a word. Tweek blinked, biting his lip as he smiled. He's never had this kind of control, this kind of power over someone. _It was amazing_. Tweek walked down the hallway slowly, leaning against the door frame when he saw Craig. He was struggling to get his shirt off over his head, Tweek chuckling. Craig looked over when he heard him, face flushed.

"You weren't supposed to see that."

"What, you struggling to get your shirt off?"

"Exactly that, yes." He chuckled, Tweek rolling his eyes as he slowly walked into the room. He shut the door behind him, humming.

"Just relax, alright?" He whispered, Craig swallowing hard as he nodded. He rolled onto his side on the bed, propping himself up on his elbow and resting his cheek on his palm as he watched the blonde. Tweek hummed, his new found confidence never wavering. He slowly undid his belt, watching as Craig's lust blown eyes watched his hands move. When he slid down his pants, Craig let out a soft whine, noticing the fabric underneath. It wasn't the usual cotton underwear, oh no. It was something entirely new to Craig, and he loved that. As Tweek lifted his turtleneck over his head, Craig took his other hand and covered his mouth, eyes widening slightly as he took in what he was seeing. There, for _only him_ , stood Tweek, wearing the sexiest thing he's ever seen. It wasn't anything too crazy, but it was sexy to Craig, because Tweek was the one wearing it. He noticed it was high necked, which explained his turtleneck, and it stretched over his skin in the best way. It was a one piece, black, body suit that made his pale skin seem even brighter in the dimly lit room. Upon closer inspection, Craig realized that the material was lace, the lower half transitioning into solid silk to hide his dick, the silk tracing the outline of his hipbones. _Cheeky_. There was a small cut out by his chest in the shape of a diamond, Tweek humming as he did a little spin so Craig could _really_ take him in. His entire back was open, the silk fabric dipping near his ass. _His ass_. God, it shaped it perfectly, showing off every single curve that Tweek had to offer. Unable to hold it in, Craig let out an embarrassing squeak, biting down onto his knuckles as Tweek turned back around. "You okay?" He giggled. _Fuck, knock this school boy innocence off, kid._ Craig nodded.

"U-Uh-huh." He choked out, clearing his throat as he tried not to reach down and touch himself.

"There's…one more thing you haven't noticed yet." Tweek whispered, walking over to Craig. The older man blinked, looking Tweek up and down in an effort to figure out what it was. Suddenly, he saw it, and Craig nearly fainted. Silver. Silver jewelry that wasn't there the last time he saw Tweek shirtless.

"Did…did you get your nipples pierced?" He breathed out, sitting up slowly to look at the two silver bars that now resided on his boyfriend's chest. Tweek grinned slowly.

"Mhm," He purred, putting his hands on Craig's shoulders as he giggled. Craig covered his mouth again with one of his hands, looking up at Tweek. His mismatched eyes were wide, the blue eye making it easy to see how turned on he was. "They're still sensitive so be careful." He whispered, slowly crawling onto Craig's lap. Instinctively, the man wrapped his arms tightly around the blonde's waist, nodding dumbly as he let his hands roam over his body. After a moment, he leaned up, capturing Tweek's lips with his own. However, it wasn't hard like Tweek expected, but gentle, caring, _loving_. Slowly, Craig twisted them so they moved from the edge of the bed to lying in the middle of the bed, lips never leaving each other's. The kiss grew a little more forceful, tongues licking at each other's mouths as soft hums escaped their throats. Tweek gasped when he suddenly pulled away, his lips red and swollen from their kiss. Craig looked his face up and down, swallowing hard.

"I, uh, I'm sure you were expecting rough sex."

"I…well, I was just expecting _sex_ …wait that sounds bad."

"No-No, it's cool, I know what you meant." Craig breathed out, still trying to catch his breath from the kiss as he placed a hand on either side of Tweek's face, pushing himself up to look at him.

"So, like, what are y-you-"

"Can I make love to you?" Craig blurted out suddenly, Tweek blinking as he stared up at his boyfriend.

"Y-You… _want_ to do that?" He whispered, Craig nodding.

"I, _fuck_ , that sounds so weird. I just, um, really want to prove to you that…I _do_ love you… _a lot_." Craig explained, Tweek's heart jumping to the tips of every limb in his body. Everything was tingling. Reaching out slowly, Tweek took Craig's face in his hands, thumbs running over his cheeks lightly. After a moment he just nodded, giving him a smile that spoke volumes to Craig: _I know_. Leaning back down, Craig kissed lightly at the exposed skin on his chest, Tweek humming as he ran his hands over Craig's hand, the sensation new, yet so good, to the man. He felt himself relax even more, hands running up the blonde's side as he tried everything in his power to get closer to him. Pulling away suddenly, he rummaged through his end table, Tweek taking the moment to lie properly on the bed. He smiled a bit as Craig tossed the lube and condom on the bedside table, quickly returning to his location on top of the blonde. A giggle escaped Tweek's lips before Craig kissed him again, arms wrapping around his neck. They just took it slow, kissing each other with Craig settled between Tweek's legs, the blonde's knees bending up to secure Craig even closer to him. Craig ran a hand over his thigh, gripping lightly at the skin and groaning softly.

"I need you." Tweek managed to breath out between kisses, Craig giving a soft grunt to acknowledge Tweek. The blonde reached up to unbutton the three buttons holding his entire outfit up, Craig slowly tugging it down, careful of the new piercings.

" _Fuck_ , I do love the piercings." Craig mumbled, continuing to tug the lingerie down slowly. Tweek giggled a bit, stretching his arms above his head.

"I had a feeling you would. I've always thought about it, but just decided I needed to bite the bullet and do it." He hummed, Craig chewing on the inside of his cheek as he got the lingerie off. _God_ , _he really is something else_. Kissing at his ankles, he made his way up his leg, sucking at his thighs and hips gently. Tweek let out a soft whine, letting his eyes flutter shut. He continued to gasp and make soft noises as Craig made his way up his body, pressing gentle kisses to his nipples. The sensation was so…fascination to them both. Tweek gasped and Craig grinned, continuing to place kisses to the sensitive nubs.

"Still sensitive you said?" Craig purred, Tweek smacking the back of his shoulder.

"When are you going to make love to me?" He breathed out, both their faces lighting up at the phrase. _Make love_. It felt cheesy, yet so right to say. Standing up, Craig tugged his pants and underwear off, leaving them both naked. Tweek just stared at him, eyes moving slowly up and down his body as he coated his fingers with lube. Craig crawled back between his legs, leaning their foreheads together gently as he smiled a bit.

"Comfy?"

"I like your bed, so yes."

"You're dating me for my bed."

"You figured it out." Tweek giggled, suddenly gasping as Craig traced his entrance with a finger.

"I thought you were better than that." Craig teased, easing a finger in. Tweek swallowed hard, eyes rolling back slightly as they closed and he sighed in content.

"I'm a college-college student. I'm willing to do anything for a good n-nights rest."

"Even dating your professor, it seems." Craig chuckled, slowly easing in a second finger after pumping the first one in and out for a moment. Tweek let out a shaky breath, eyes fluttering open slowly. He didn't say anything, eyes half lidded as he just stared up at Craig. After a moment, Craig's face fell into a similar state, one of bliss as he silently removed his fingers and pressed the tip of his cock against Tweek's entrance. A soft whimper escaped the blonde's lips as he eased his way in, mouth moving slowly as he tried to form some words or a sound, but only soft moans escaped. It was _beautiful_ to watch. Once he was fully inside the blonde, Craig just stared at him, both breaking out into a smile as they realized the extent of their situation: _they were so fucked_. They had past the point in which they could've broken things off. They were in this for the long haul now, and neither party seemed to have any complains. Craig reached a hand up, stroking Tweek's hair gently as he pulled his forehead away and looked fully at the blonde's face. Tweek giggled a bit, arms tucked between Craig's chest and his arms as he gripped at the man's shoulder blades.

" _I love you_." Tweek breathed out, unable to hold back the words. The man above him smiled a little wider, chuckling softly as he continued to stroke the blonde curls of his lover.

" _I love you, too."_ He whispered back, leaning down and kissing Tweek gently as he started to slowly move his hips. Tweek gasped at the sudden movement, but adjust to the gentle, slow rhythm quickly. Everything was making Tweek's head spin: the gentleness of it all, Craig's hand in his hair, his soft lips, the muscles in Craig's back and shoulders moving under his hands as he moved, the drag of his cock. It was all so good, something Tweek never knew he needed until right now. Their bodies seemed to move together, each thrust moving them and the bed up slightly. The thrusts were starting to get a little harder, but remained slow, and _wow_ , Tweek was suddenly convinced he could die and be satisfied with his life in that moment. Soft _ah's_ escaped his lips, Tweek attaching his lips to Craig's tattooed shoulder as he tried to muffle the sounds to keep the gentle ambiance intact. It was when Craig found his prostate he knew that was over.

"O-Oh _God_!" He gasped, Craig nuzzling his face into his new exposed neck as he tossed his head back and squeezed his eyes shut.

"I got you, kid. I want to _hear_ you, alright?" He breathed out, soft pants tickling Tweek's neck. Tweek didn't hold back, his noises becoming louder as Craig moved a little faster. Moving from slow to fast made it feel so much more better. Tweek wasn't sure why, but to him, _it definitely felt better_. His cock was aching between them, Craig grunting as it twitched against their stomachs. Pulling away enough so Tweek could touch himself, Craig glanced down, noticing how wet he was. _Fuck_. He couldn't help himself, the hand in Tweek's hair tugging lightly as he watched the blonde touch himself. " _Fuck, baby."_ He growled, the new name causing Tweek's back to arch.

"O-Oh god." He gasped, Craig smirking.

"You liked the name, didn't you?" He chuckled, Tweek nodding under his grip as he continued to jerk himself off. Craig hummed, rolling his hips. Tweek let out a yell of surprise, eyes flying open as he stared up at Craig.

"P-Please make me _cum_." He begged, Craig dropping the fistful of hair and grabbing the headboard as he began to fuck him. He watched as the blonde started yelling his name, the sounds and sensation of Tweek clenching around him becoming too much. With a grunt, Craig thrusted his hips forward, Tweek gasping hard as he felt his cock twitch and throb inside of him as Craig came. It was enough to push the blonde over the edge, calling out Craig's name as he came all over his own stomach and chest. Panting, Craig slowly pulled out of Tweek, collapsing into bed next to him. The blonde made no effort to move, eyes closed as he tried to hide his grin under his hand. After he caught his breath, Craig stood slowly after tugging the condom off, tying it and dropping it in the trash on his way out the door. Tweek didn't even realize he left until a warm wash cloth was being ran over his skin, his tired eyes fluttering open to see Craig wiping him off.

"You okay?" He whispered to Tweek, the blonde staring in awe at him.

"I…I could've done that." He whispered back, Craig chuckling.

"I wanted to." He mumbled, tossing the rag to the hamper before turning the lights off and crawling into bed next to Tweek. They took some time to just stare at each other, both still slowly coming off their high from their orgasms. Tweek turned so his back was to Craig, the older man getting the idea as he wrapped an arm tightly around his waist to spoon him. He nuzzled his nose into the back of Tweek's shoulder, legs tangling together under the blanket. Tweek's eyes fluttered shut, a small, tired smile on his lips.

"Thank you." He whispered, Craig humming.

"You're welcome, baby." He whispered back, Tweek humming at the nickname. It felt more adult somehow. Craig drifted off to sleep not long after that, Tweek making sure before reaching out slowly to grab his phone. _One forty two_. With a small smile on his lips, Tweek sent a message to Tricia before cuddling into Craig's embrace to join him for a restful sleep.

 _He made that weird squeak noise you mentioned, but it was somehow the most beautiful thing I've ever heard._

* * *

 **NOTE:** WHAT A CHAPTER TO CELEBRATE THE ENDING OF SOPHOMORE YEAR OF COLLEGE! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It seems everyone LOVED Tricia, which warmed my heart because I love to write her and Tweek together! Next chapter, we'll be meeting the Tweak's! I love writing the Tweak's as well, so we'll have some fun these next few chapters ;) Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated! PS: Sorry for any mistakes near the end! I have to wake up for a doctor's appointment and got tired half way through proof reading haha!


	18. Lesson 18: First Impressions

Tweek spent most of the weekend packing up to go home after he left Craig's the next morning. They were all doing their share of cleaning some part of the apartment, the blonde opting to clean the kitchen. About halfway through his cleaning, bandana tied around his forehead to keep the hair off his face, Kyle came out of his room, trash bags in his hands. Tweek looked over his shoulder from his scrubbing of the sink, snorting.

"Spring cleaning isn't for a few more months, Broflovski." He chuckled, Kyle setting the bags by the door.

"Ha ha very funny." He breathed out, face flushed from whatever cleaning he was doing. He could smell the scent of disinfectant wipes coming from him as he got a glass from the cabinet.

"So…I have a… _bone_ to pick with you, if you will." Tweek said slowly, turning slowly to look at Kyle. The red head froze mid drink, knowing full well where this conversation was going.

"What, uh, what about best buddy ol' pal of mine?" He breathed out, shooting him an innocent grin. Tweek punched his arm, Kyle yelping.

"What happened to _'your secret is safe with me',_ Kyle?!" He hissed between his teeth, Kyle rubbing his arm.

"I'm sorry! It slipped out by accident!"

"How?!"

"We were at lunch and Stan and Wendy asked about you since you haven't been hanging with us that much lately and I slipped and said it's because you have a boyfriend!" He explained, Tweek blinking. _Huh_. Thinking back, Tweek realized how much he _hasn't_ been hanging out with his friends lately. Suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over him.

"I… _shit_ …I really haven't been hanging with you guys…" He mumbled, Kyle frowning.

"It's nothing to be upset over. We understand, Tweek. Hell, we live with you! We get to see your face every day!" He chuckled, pinching Tweek's red cheek as he went to rinse his glass out. Tweek shoved his hand away, smiling a bit as he chuckled.

"I know but…I'm leaving you guys in the dark it seems…"

"Tweek, you have your _first boyfriend_. We're not angry at you."

"Even though said boyfriend is our professor?" He asked, Kyle puckering his lips slightly as he thought.

"Yes…even though your boyfriend is our _professor_." He said, Tweek letting out a soft laugh. He nuzzled his face into Kyle's shoulder as he dried the glass.

"I just want you to be aware that I still fully intend on getting revenge on you from when I walked in on you and Heidi." He murmured into his shirt, Kyle snorting.

"I've been listening to music every night just in case you finally decide to act on this revenge."

* * *

For old times' sake that night, the four friends ordered a pizza and watched reruns of Seinfeld, the entire thing reminding Tweek of the routine he missed so much with these three. Wendy and Stan left Sunday morning for their home towns, Kyle leaving Monday morning. Tweek was finishing his packing after Kyle left, an old record playing throughout the now very empty apartment. As he hummed to the music, he heard his phone ringing from his desk, turning the volume down on the his record player as he saw it was Craig.

"Hello?"

" _How long does it take to get to South Park?"_

"Almost…two hours, I think?"

" _Can you bring coffee?"_

"I already have a thermos filled."

" _You know me so well."_ Craig chuckled, Tweek smiling as he zipped up his suitcase.

"What time are you coming over?" He asked, setting his suitcase by his bedroom door and lying on his bed.

" _I'm leaving my apartment now."_

"Is Venus with you?"

" _No, she's with my parents already."_

"Boo." He pouted, Craig chuckling.

" _I'll see you soon, kid_."

"Bye handsome." He laughed, hanging up. He turned the record player off after he hung up, deciding to watch the beginning of When Harry Met Sally. Craig had texted him about a half an hour later saying he was outside, Tweek's stomach doing a flip every time he got a text from him. Packing his laptop into his backpack and tugging on his denim jacket over his olive green turtleneck, Tweek made sure everything was turned off and locked up before heading downstairs. When he got to Craig's car, he watched as he stepped out, Tweek blinking when Craig grabbed his suitcase.

"I got it." He mumbled, Tweek blushing.

"Oh…thank you," He breathed out, noticing Craig was wearing a very tattered blue chullo. It made his heart flutter. "I like your hat." Tweek chuckled as they got into the car after Craig slammed the trunk shut. Craig smiled a bit, Tweek giving him the directions to get to the highway they needed to take.

"Thanks. It's old as shit, but it's my favorite hat."

"A blue chullo?"

"I've had one since I was eight. This one is nearing the end of its life sadly. I've had it since I was twenty." He explained, tugging it over his ears a little more while at a red light. Tweek took the opportunity to lean over and kiss his cheek, placing his thermos of coffee in the cup holder.

"It suits you. I like the color with your skin," He chuckled, suddenly blinking. "That-uh-don't take that the wrong way! Wow, that-that sounds like something a killer would say." He squeaked, tangling his fingers into his hair. Craig chuckled, reaching over and lacing his fingers with Tweek's.

"I know what you meant, kid. My mom told me the same thing when I was younger and she bought my first one for me."

"Oh…okay…okay," Tweek fell silent, eyes drifting over to the radio. He never noticed Craig had a tape deck in his car.

 _And now we meet in an abandoned studio_

 _We hear the playback and it seems so long ago_

 _And you remember the jingles used to go_

 _Oh-a oh_

 _You were the first one_

 _Oh-a oh_

 _You were the last one_

Tweek grinned slowly, glancing up at Craig as he heard him singing softly. "How old were you when this song came out?" He teased, trying to relax. Craig snorted.

"Fuck off," He mumbled, holding the thermos out for Tweek to open while he drove. The blonde unscrewed the cap, Craig taking a few gulps before humming. "Well…the song came out in seventy nine and I was born in eighty eight. It was already out when I was born, for your information." Tweek laughed softly, hugging his arms around himself after tugging his denim jacket around him more. It was starting to get _really_ cold in Colorado.

"I have to ask."

"Well, you don't _have_ to."

"Craig." He warned, the older man snickering.

"Fire away."

"Did…did you make a mixtape for our little road trip?" He asked, Craig looking over at him. Tweek silently reached out, pushing his cheek so his head turned to face the direction of the road. Tweek felt his smile on his hand again.

"I, uh…well, let me ask you something. Would you think less of me if I said yes?"

"No."

"Then…yes…I did." He said, pursing his lips to stop himself from smiling. Tweek grinned, covering his mouth with his hand as he let out a laugh.

"Oh my _god_!"

"Look, I got the fucking tape deck in my car, I'm gonna take advantage of it!"

"Because this car is probably older than you!"

"It's a nineteen seventy Dodge Charger now shut up!" He laughed, Tweek gasping.

"My dad is gonna love you."

"Wh-what?" Craig blinked, the subject change so sudden.

"My dad loves old cars. He's never been able to get one, so he lives vicariously through other people."

"I'll take him for a drive maybe."

"He'll talk your damn ear off…but he might try and seem like he's super overprotective and strict. Don't let that fool you, okay? He's a teddy bear." Tweek warned, turning in his seat to look at Craig fully. The raven haired man hummed, Tweek noticing his hair was thinning a little more on the sides from chemo. It hadn't gotten much shorter though, which was a good sign…right?

"Look, I've been preparing myself for two weeks to meet your parents. I'm ready. I got this." Craig said, shrugging his shoulders. Tweek blinked, face softening.

"You've been _preparing_?"

"Well, yeah! I mean…not like anything crazy! I, um," He cleared his throat, blushing a bit. "Looked up your, uh, family coffee shop?" It came out more like a question than Craig intended, but Tweek thought the notion was sweet.

"You did?"

"…Yes?"

"That's…sweet of you."

"I just…ya know, I want to make a good impression." He mumbled, tugging on the strings of his hat. Tweek wondering if it was a nervous tic.

"I'm sure my parents will appreciate that."

* * *

They sang loudly to the mixtape Craig made, a lot of songs from the seventies and eighties, but Tweek knew most of them. It felt good being so carefree with someone like Craig. Someone that made him feel so happy, so alive, so relaxed. As they passed the rickety wooden sign that read _South Park_ on it, Tweek noticed Craig tense up a bit, the blonde humming.

"Don't overthink things." He murmured, reaching over and putting a hand on Craig's thigh. The raven haired man nodded slowly, listening to Tweek's directions to get through town. If Craig was being honest, he probably could've figured it out. There were two main streets with about twenty side streets that homes were on. It was, indeed, a small, quiet, mountain town. As they pulled up to a red house, Craig reached over and grabbed Tweek's chin, leaning over and pressing a few pecks to his lips.

"Here's to hoping your father doesn't kill me." He mumbled against his lips, Tweek laughing as Craig got out of the car. Tweek followed him to the trunk, taking his suitcase from him.

"Oh, hello, sweetheart!" Tweek whipped his head around, a grin crossing his face as he met Mary Tweak halfway down the driveway. She tossed her arms around his neck, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Despite her bright red lips, none of the color came off. Craig watched them for a moment, his nerves settling slightly as he looked at the woman who brought life to his boyfriend. Light brown hair cut into a bob that stops right below her jaw. Teal sweater matched with a pair of jeans and slide on sneakers. She was beautiful, her made up face reminding Craig of a porcelain doll.

"Oh god, I missed you!" Tweek giggled, Mary letting out a laugh.

"I've been telling you since you were fourteen! Once you leave us for college, you'll appreciate us more!" She teased, Tweek pulling away and blushing as he saw Craig walking up.

"Oh! Um, mom," He grabbed Craig's wrist, smiling a reassuring smile at him. "This is Craig…my boyfriend." He breathed out, Mary immediately wrapping her arms around Craig's neck. The raven haired man blinked, but let out a sigh as he wrapped his arms around her petite frame. She had to have been almost a foot shorter than Craig.

"Oh gosh, it's so _wonderful_ to finally meet you! You know," She pulled away, falling back onto the heels of her feet. "Tweek has told me _so_ much about you! It's so wonderful to match such a handsome face to the mystery man I've been being told about since August!" She giggled, Tweek yelping.

" _Mom!"_ He hissed, Mary letting out a laugh.

"I've, uh, heard a lot about you as well, Mrs. Tweak." Craig chuckled, Mary humming.

"Please, call me Mary. And Richard, my husband, will be home in about an hour. He's at the coffee shop making sure we're stocked for Black Friday." She explained, motioning for the men to follow her inside. Despite being grown men, Mary Tweak treated them as if they were still boys coming over for a playdate, but neither seemed to mind. It was nice being babied every now and then. Craig grabbed Tweek's suitcase when they got to the steps, the blonde blushing a bit as his mom raised an eyebrow at him, smirking. He rolled his eyes, shooting her a look that read _"Yes mom, I know he's very attractive_." As they got to the top of the steps, Tweek pushed past Craig to walk to his old room, blushing as he opened the door. It was left slightly messy from the last time he was home (which was August), but it had been dusted off and his bed was made. No doubt his mother came in and gave it a thorough cleaning earlier this morning.

"So…this is where the infamous Tweek Tweak grew up." Craig mumbled, setting their bags down. Tweek rolled his eyes, tossing the pile of clothes on his floor into his hamper.

"Take it in, Tucker. It's still filled with shit from high school." He chuckled, motioning to the images of a high school aged Tweek in various costumes. Craig hummed, looking at them.

"That's right…you did musicals." He chuckled, Tweek blushing. He marched over, pointing at one where he had his arms around two of his best friends, Annie and Millie.

"I was the _lead_ in this one thank you!"

"What show?"

"Guys and Dolls."

"Nathan Detroit, right?" He asked, Tweek blinking.

"You…know the show?"

"This may come as shock for you, but I too went to high school, kid." He said, Tweek punching his arm.

"Come on, asshole, let's sit with my mom."

* * *

Talking with Mary Tweak was the easiest thing Craig has ever done. She was so lively, fun, easy to talk to. He barely remembered he still had the daunting task of meeting Tweek's _father_. Sure, he might be over thinking things, but Tweek had warned him his father would try to come off as super strict and tough at first. Craig was sure Richard Tweak isn't normally that kind of guy, but he still had to _meet_ him. And Craig was sure that Richard knew if their little situation, knew of their age difference, knew of _a lot_ of things. Tweek could see that Craig's mind was racing, reaching over and giving his hand a squeeze. That seemed to snap him out of this daze. Well, that, or the fact a set of keys just unlocked the front door.

"Honey, there's the _most beautiful_ car sitting out front our house and-" Richard Tweak blinked, a grin crawling across his face as Tweek jumped up from the couch. "Hey Tweek!" He laughed, the blonde wrapping his arms around his dad. They were roughly the same height, Tweek slightly taller than the curly haired man. Dirty blonde that was graying slightly at the sides, blue eyes, a few freckles on his wrinkled face. Tweek definitely looked more like his mother, but he could see the resemblance between the two men.

"Hi dad!" He giggled, Craig biting the inside of his cheek. He hasn't heard Tweek use the term _dad_ in such a high pitched voice outside of the bedroom before, and Craig had to think of dead puppies for a minute before he moved from the couch. Tweek pulled away from his dad, keeping his arm around him however, as Craig walked over. "Dad, this is Craig, my-"

"Boyfriend," Richard finished, unwrapping his arm from around Tweek to stick his hand out. He was clearly looking Craig over, humming slightly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Craig took his hand, smiling a bit.

"You as well, Mr. Tweak."

"Firm handshake…I like it." Richard mumbled, Craig blinking as Richard moved past him. He glanced over at Tweek, who gave him an encouraging smile.

"You mentioned something about a car, sweetheart?" Mary chuckled, tilting her cheek into her husband's kiss. Craig liked how natural the movement was for her.

"Oh! Yes! Someone parked a nineteen seventies black Dodge Charger out front! I've never seen one so close before!" He laughed, moving into the kitchen to no doubt get something to eat or a cup of coffee. Tweek's face lit up.

"It's Craig's car, dad!" He called out, Craig shooting him a look that screamed " _don't do this to me, yet I just met the man"._ Richard walked back out into the living room, cup of coffee in hand with slightly wide eyes.

"You're shitting me." He said, Craig rubbing the back of his neck after tugging the chullo off his head. The room was getting too hot for him.

"No, uh, it's mine! I got it as a grad gift from college. Well, it was broken and needed repairs real badly. I used to work as a mechanic in high school and a little into college, so it was my little project…I guess." He explained, Tweek blinking a bit. He didn't even knew Craig used to be a mechanic, the thought of him in a pair of those overalls, grease on his face, hair sticking to his forehead- _knock it off!_ Tweek shook his head to bring himself back to reality, face a light pink.

"So you know cars, huh?" Richard asked, leaning against the doorway of the kitchen.

"Give or take. It's been a while since I've done anything with cars, but I still appreciate them. If you want I can, uh, give you a ride somewhere in-in it?" He choked out, voice still sturdy despite his dry throat. He ran a hand over his head, smiling at Richard. The man looked him up and down, face softening a bit.

"I'd like that." He mumbled, taking a few steps forward to sit on the couch by Mary. Tweek blinked, grabbing Craig's hand and tugging him down so his lips were by his ear.

"You're in the clear… _I think_."

* * *

Dinner conversation was light, mainly just the Tweak's asking Craig questions about his personal life: how did he get into his job, what did he major in, where was he from, if he ever wanted a family. Tweek was biting his tongue the entire dinner, eventually hooking his ankle with Craig's under the table to calm his own nerves. He was proud of how well Craig was answering the barrage of questions, noticing he seemed calmer now that he's had a good few hours with the Tweak's. After dinner, Craig stood and helped Mary clean up, the woman grinning up at him.

"Thank you, sweetheart." She hummed, Richard glancing at Tweek from across the table once they were in the kitchen.

"He's almost thirty."

"So?"

"Just…bit of an age gap." He murmured, Tweek blushing.

"Is that… _bad_?"

"No…just wasn't expecting…your first boyfriend to be _your professor_." He said slowly, Tweek biting his tongue. Nodding slowly, he let out a sigh.

"I…I get that." He mumbled, and he did. Sure, it wasn't a _perfect_ situation, but Tweek has discovered he wouldn't trade it for the world. Not anymore. The men fell silent, Richard standing slowly as he heard the sink turn off.

"Craig?" He called out, the raven haired man appearing in the doorway. "I'll take that drive now." He said, Tweek's eyes widening slightly. Craig nodded.

"Sounds good, Mr. Tweak." He said, Richard walking into the kitchen to kiss Mary goodbye. Tweek grabbed Craig's wrist, standing up from his chair.

"He's still wary."

"What?"

"He's still wary about the fact you're my professor." He whispered, Craig biting his lip. He nodded slowly, kissing Tweek's forehead.

"I'll be fine, kid."

* * *

Craig wasn't fine. He was starting to grow nervous that Richard was going to forbid him from seeing Tweek anymore. Of course, they could see each other at school, but something about going behind his back was both scary and a turn on to Craig. _Stop thinking about sneaking around to see his son, Tucker_. The only time Richard spoke was to give him directions to where he wanted Craig to take him, his gaze on the interior of the car. Craig glanced over every now and then, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried to think of every answer to every question and a way to bargain with Richard to still be able to see his son.

"Right here," Richard said, pointing to an unmarked road. _Good. I'm going to be killed…Christ, I sound like Tweek._ Turning up the dirt road, Craig blinked when they got to the top, a small parking lot overlooking the town greeting them. Once in a parking spot, Richard hummed. "Turn the car off," Craig did, hand lingering on the keys for a moment before he tugged them out. The temperature was already starting to drop. The silence was making his ears ring, this city boy not used to the sounds of a mountain town. Those sounds were almost nonexistent to Craig. "Mary mentioned something about you having cancer." Richard finally said, Craig blinking as he leaned back in his seat.

"I, um…yeah. I do."

"How long?"

"It's been…almost two months."

"Breast?"

"Yeah, my mom had it." Craig murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. Richard hummed, licking his lips as he looked over the town of South Park.

"I come here when I don't know what to say," Richard said, Craig looking over at him. "Because you two have put me in a weird place…"

"…I know." Craig mumbled, biting his lip. Richard let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

"His first boyfriend and it's his _macroeconomics professor_." He breathed out, Craig wincing slightly at the sentence.

"He won me over with his coffee." Craig admitted, Richard turning to look at him finally.

"He…what?"

"The coffee shop he works at on campus is the worst one. It's notorious for having shhh-crappy coffee," Richard muffled a laugh at his censorship. "But it was the first day of classes, so every other place was packed with anxious students…so I went in. I was the only damn person in the shop…and he was asleep at the counter, listening to music for his gen ed class. He made the best cup of coffee I've ever had," Craig laughed softly at the memory, looking out at the town. "He was…beautiful. I knew he was going to be young but…not nine years younger than me. I didn't even know he was my student the day we met..."

"When did you find out?"

"The next day," Craig chuckled, glancing over at Richard. "I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I saw him walk through the door to my class."

"Out of excitement or…?"

"That…and fear." He whispered, turning his attention back to the town.

"Fear?"

"I was afraid…afraid of…well, _this_. Getting myself so wrapped up in a student. Tweek… _God_ , he's so much more than just my student now. He's my best friend. He's my boyfriend. He's my… _lover_ …my… _everything_." He breathed out, running his hands down his face. Richard was silent for a while, staring at the man who spoke so passionately about his son. Chuckling softly, he looked out at South Park.

"Mary's six years younger than me," He started, leaning his head back against the head rest. "Her father wasn't super thrilled about that. We met when I had just opened up my coffee shop. It was a small stand in a local mall that isn't even here in town anymore. She was home on spring break from college and a group of her friends wanted coffee. She didn't seem interested in the coffee or me…but boy, I sure was interested in her." He chuckled, closing his eyes.

"How did you win her over?"

"Easy," He opened his eyes and looked over at Craig. "I wrote my phone number on every single cup for her friends. Granted, it was a landline, so I had to wait until I was home to see if there were any messages."

"I take it there were?"

"God, no," Richard laughed, Craig smiling a bit. "She came back in at the end of the week. She was getting ready to graduate college with a degree in hospitality. I thought it was a match made in heaven, a business man and a hospitality major. We kept in contact the last few months she was in school and I met her parents at her graduation. I remember hearing her father say " _He's two years away from being thirty, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"_ She was just getting ready to turn twenty two the following week."

"Did it…ever get better?"

"Eventually. It took some time, but he finally warmed up to me…after I started giving him free coffee," He laughed, Craig actually finding himself laughing as well. They fell silent for a moment, Crap jumping slightly as Richard's hand clapped down on his shoulder. "Look…you clearly care _a lot_ about my son…and that's all can ask for from his first boyfriend. He's clearly _very_ into you, as well, and I won't shame you both for this entire situation." Craig snorted a bit, looking at Richard.

"We're you intending on publicly shaming me for dating a student, Mr. Tweak?" He asked, Richard letting out a laugh.

"I can't say I didn't think about it," Craig laughed softly as he leaned forward to start up the car, blinking as he heard Richard speak before he turned the key. "And call me Richard."

* * *

It had been nearly two and a half hours since they left, and Tweek was convinced his father had killed his boyfriend. _NO! He wouldn't do that. He knows how much I love Craig…right?_ Growing tired around eleven (they had a late dinner around eight), Tweek kissed his mom goodnight and trudged up the steps. He tugged on a pair of black pajama shorts and an old crewneck sweatshirt that read _South Park Cows_. The sweatshirt had been cut into a crop top, and the outfit was Tweek's go to pajamas when he was home. Looking at himself in the mirror, he hummed, lifting up the sweatshirt to look at his piercings. He bit his lip as he grinned, grabbing his phone and snapping a picture of his reflection. He plugged in the Christmas lights that bordered his room, turning off the ceiling lights before climbing into bed. Once comfortable, he sent the picture to Craig.

 _I hope you're alive and you get home safe :)_

About fifteen minutes later, Craig and Richard pulled up outside, unbeknownst to Tweek, who had fallen asleep now that he was in the comfort of his own bed. The two men walked in, smiles on their faces. Mary looked up from the TV, smirking a bit.

"Well, you two look like you had fun." She chuckled, standing up to greet her husband. Craig noticed that she has greeted him with a kiss each time he leaves or comes back, the thought of Tweek doing that for him making his stomach flip.

"It was a nice ride! Had a nice talk as well," Richard said, wrapping his arm around Mary. "Where's Tweek?"

"Oh, he went up to bed about a half an hour ago. Must've been the drive and the stress of getting homework done before break catching up to him." Mary said, Craig biting his lip.

"Do you think he's asleep? I left my bag in his room. I can grab it and go down the hall to the guest room, if-if you're okay with me going in his room at this time of night?" He asked, face flushing red. Mary and Richard let out a soft laugh, Mary reaching up and cupping his face.

"Sweetheart, you're going to be thirty. Go share a bed with your boyfriend!" She laughed, Craig blushing a darker red as he just felt embarrassed now.

"I'm sure you've already shared a bed in Boulder." Richard chuckled, turning to go to the kitchen. Craig blinked at how blunt he was, but appreciated it. Smiling a bit, he bid the Tweak's goodnight, quietly creeping up the steps and down the hall to Tweek's room. He froze as he checked his phone, seeing the message from Tweek. Biting his lip with a smile as he looked at the picture, he slowly opened the door, his face softening as he saw the gentle rise and fall of Tweek's chest. He was on his back, hand resting on top of his phone that laid on his chest while his other hand was lying by his head which was tilted towards the door. He looked so peaceful, so _young_ sleeping in his childhood bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, Craig stripped down to his boxers and laid his clothes on top of his suitcase. He pulled the phone out from under Tweek's hand, the movement causing the blonde to hum and roll so his back was to Craig now. The raven haired man smiled, setting the phone aside before unplugging the lights. A sliver of light crept in from the bright moon, Tweek's face even softer in the moonlight. Craig realized right then and there that the moon of Tweek's face was his favorite sight ever. Silently sliding into bed next to him, Craig wrapped his arm around Tweek, face nuzzling into his hair. The blonde stirred when the bed dipped, humming as he rolled around in Craig's arms and buried his face into the crook of his neck.

"You're home." He slurred, voice thick with exhaustion. Craig chuckled, hand running up and down his back under the cut sweatshirt.

"I'm home." He whispered, the image of Tweek greeting him with a kiss each time he came home filling his mind.

"My dad didn't kill you."

"I had that thought, too," Craig chuckled, kissing his forehead. "We had a nice drive and talk."

"Talk?" Tweek asked, looking up with half lidded eyes. Craig pressed a light kiss to his lips, humming as he pulled away.

"I'll tell you in the morning." He whispered, Tweek nodding as he put his face back in the crook of his neck.

"M'kay." He mumbled, Craig holding him just a little bit tighter as he felt him grow heavy once more. Letting his own eyes close, Craig nuzzled his face into his hair once more, the notion so natural now. Feeling himself sink deeper into the mattress, Craig let out a soft hum, exhaustion creeping into every limb of his body as he smirked into the blonde curls.

"Sleep tight, kid."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Hoo boy! What a ride! Sorry this chapter was a bit jumpy, but I didn't want this to be too long (I also started writing this at like 8:30 and it's now almost 2 am. I kept getting distracted tonight, okay?) But some good news! I went back to the doctor and she said the pneumonia was no longer in my lung! Here's to hoping I can stay healthy for a full month now! Hope you enjoyed this crazy chapter/meeting the Tweaks, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:

Video Killed the Radio Star-Buggles


	19. Lesson 19: The Types of Nightmares

_It smelt like someone had dumped a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in the room. The lights were bright, almost too bright to look at. Looking around, Craig couldn't quite pinpoint where he was. Something didn't feel right. He needed to get up. When he tried to move, a set of hands landed on his shoulders._

 _"You're in no condition to move, Mr. Tucker." The voice was low and serious, a sense of fear starting to set in._

 _"What do you mean?" He asked, slight panic in his voice. He tried to move again, but again, he was shoved back down._

 _"You can't_ _ **move**_ _." The voice said again, Craig letting out a whine as a surge of pain ran through his chest. Instead of moving, he opted to look down at himself. Maybe there was something by his feet that would let him know where he was. Looking down, he found he couldn't move his head after he looked, realizing he was on an operating table._

 _"Why-what am I doing here?" He slurred, his head spinning as he realized they were operating on him while he was conscious. Why couldn't he feel anything?_

 _"The tumor, Mr. Tucker. We had to do an emergency operation."_

 _"What-why-what for?"_

 _"It grew three more centimeters. We needed to act now to stop it." The doctor returned to his side, a scream being ripped from his throat as he felt each jab and scrape of the scalpel._

 _"Stop!" He cried out, squeezing his eyes shut._

Gasping sharply as he sat up, Craig looked around the room, trying to get a sense of his surroundings. He looked to his left, sighing softly when he recognized the head of blonde curls next to him. Wincing, he reached to grab at his side, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt a sharp pain surge through his chest. _That's what the dream was about._ Craig pushed the covers aside, standing slowly. He needed to breathe, needed to walk. He put the covers back in place, making sure not to disturb Tweek. Tugging a sweatshirt over his head and pulling on his converse, Craig crept down the steps, phone in his pocket. As he was about to head out the door, he jumped as he heard a voice.

"You're up early." Turning, he blushed a bit as Mary walked in from the kitchen.

"I, um, yeah. I just…needed to get some- _nngh_." He groaned, grabbing his side as a wave of pain washed over him. Mary frowned, walking over to him. She stood on her tip toes, pressing her hand to his forehead.

"You're warm."

"I just-I need air." He breathed out, Mary grabbing her coat.

"I'm not letting you go alone." She whispered, looping her arm through his. Craig blinked, going to object, but figured it was a lost battle already. He gave a curt nod before Mary opened the door, the two starting their walk. It was cold, but it felt good to Craig's flushed skin. After a few blocks, Craig cleared his throat.

"Thanks for, uh, coming with me, Mary."

"It's my pleasure, sweetheart. I have nothing to do anyways this morning."

"Why were _you_ up so early?"

"I bake for the coffee shop. Richard had asked if I could make some scones for today to get people in the holiday season. I don't mind it, really. It's a nice way to spend my morning! Richard makes sure to brew a pot of coffee before leaving so it's waiting for me when I get downstairs. It's an unspoken routine." She chuckled, Craig smirking a bit.

"He told me a lot about you two last night."

"Hopefully all good things." She laughed, the sight making Craig pause momentarily. She reminded him so much of Tweek when she laughed.

"Yeah! Yeah, of course. He talked about how you two met." He said, Mary snorting.

"Oh God. He just-he loves to tell that story."

"It's very sweet."

"He was so persistent. I didn't think much of him at first, but one of my girlfriends kept the cup with his number on it. I never called him, I just stared at the number the entire week I was home. Before I went back to school, I went back by myself to talk to him, ask him why he wrote his number on not one, but _four_ coffee cups."

"What was his reasoning?" He asked, Mary stopping suddenly. She smiled slowly, looking down at her feet.

" _There was no way I could let you get away that easily_ ," She breathed out, Craig smiling softly. Mary looked up at him, eyes half lidded. "You had that same philosophy with my son, didn't you?" Craig blinked at the sudden question, grabbing his side with a soft hiss as the muscle tightened. Mary rubbed his back through the pain, Craig mumbling a thanks after the pain subsided.

"I…yes, in a way."

"What was it about him, if you don't mind me asking?" She chuckled, looking up in time to see Craig's face flush red. He was silent for a moment, staring at his feet.

"He was so easy to talk to," Craig started, talking slow as he tried to process his thoughts. "When I met him…I didn't know he was my student. I met him at the coffee shop he works at. He makes… _incredible_ coffee."

"He gets that from his father." Mary chuckled, Craig smirking a bit as they started walking again, but back towards the house. He needed to lie down soon.

"Tweek…he's _so generous._ He brings me coffee every Tuesday and Thursday for class. They're my longest days and I rely _heavily_ on his coffee to get me through the day. He also just has the most _beautiful_ and _kind_ spirit. I'd say heart, but every bit of that kid of yours is beautiful and kind. Your son is something special, Mary. I don't know if he realizes it yet, but he is. He's going to do great things in life. I admire that about him." Craig looked down at her, Mary smiling with pride as she looked up at the man locking arms with her.

"I feel like I'm in a parent teacher's conference," Craig snorted, Mary wrapping her arm around his waist. "Jokes aside, it means the world, as a mother, to hear that from her son's first boyfriend," She whispered, Craig placing a hand on the small of her back. It was so simple talking with her. _Maybe Tweek takes after her in a lot of things._ As they approached the steps, Craig winced once more, grunting slightly. Mary sighed, running a hand up his back. "Come on, you need to lie down, handsome."

* * *

Rolling over, Tweek expected to be face to face with his boyfriend. However, there was no boyfriend next to him. Blinking his eyes open, Tweek frowned as he realized Craig wasn't even in the room. He waited a few minutes to see if he came back from the bathroom, but nothing. Tweek started to grow worried, pushing the covers aside to rush down the steps.

"Mom?!" He called out, jumping as she _shushed_ him from his father's recliner. She pointed to the couch, blinking as Craig was asleep on it. A blanket had been stretched over his legs, presumably put there by Mary. She nodded to the kitchen, Tweek following her in. She immediately started preparing him a cup of coffee. "When-why did he-"

"He came down around six thirty. He was having chest pains." She whispered, a sad smile on her face. Tweek frowned, eyes widening with fear as he whipped his head towards the man on the couch as Mary handed him a mug of coffee.

"Wh-what? Why-why didn't you wake me up?" He choked out, tears filling his eyes as a sense of panic settled into his stomach.

"Hey, shhh," She cupped her son's face in her hands, running her thumbs over his cheeks. "Breathe, baby, it's okay," Tweek's stomach flipped at the name, Craig having been the last person who called him that… _in bed_. "We went for a nice walk. He needed to just get some air, but I think he exhausted himself. I know fatigue is a side effect of chemo." She explained, Tweek nodding slowly as he sniffled and took a few sips from his mug.

"H-He said he talked with dad last night…"

"They did. He said they talked about how your father and I met. Talked about you it seems as well." Mary chuckled as Tweek's face turned a light pink, reaching out and brushing her son's hair off his forehead.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Tweek?"

" _I'm so scared_." He breathed out, Mary blinking as he leaned his head onto her shoulder. She frowned, rubbing his back gently.

"Of what, sweetheart?"

"Losing him…s-something happening during his surgery… _anything_ happening to him…he…Mom, I love him _so much_." Tweek choked out, Mary in awe as she listened to her son just admit _every fear_ he had in that moment.

"I have a feeling you won't be losing him any time soon."

"But what if you're _wrong_?" He breathed out, lifting his head up to wipe his face.

"Tweek, you can probably count on _one hand_ how many times I have been wrong in your life time. True or false?" She asked, Tweek shifting on his feet.

"True…" He mumbled, looking down.

"He needs you more than ever. I know that this is a scary situation, but just know he _adores you_ and thinks the world of you."

"It was just…so _scary_ seeing him break down when he told me…break down when he cut his hair…"

"This is a scary time in his life, sweetheart. He trusts you and loves you just as much as you trust and love him." She whispered, cupping his face in her hands. Tweek swallowed hard, but slowly nodded.

"What…what did you two talk about?" He whispered, eyes focused on the couch. Mary hummed.

"You," She smiled as her son looked at her, eyes slightly wide. "He thinks so highly of you. He worships the ground you walk on, sweetheart. Don't worry about losing him." She whispered, patting his cheek before going back out to the living room. Tweek stood there, staring at the place his mother just was as a warmth spread through his chest. Lifting the mug to his lips, he couldn't stop the grin that crawled across his face as each sip of coffee melted away any doubts he had involving losing Craig. By the sound of it, Craig has admitted his intentions with Tweek to _both_ his parents, and Tweek couldn't feel any happier.

* * *

Blinking his eyes open, Craig looked around, relaxing immediately once he remembered where he was.

"Hope you slept a little more soundly this time." Mary chuckled, walking in from the kitchen with a salad. Craig hummed, stretching his arms above his head and his legs out. Mary couldn't help but laugh a bit at how much his legs were hanging over the end of the couch.

"Yeah…definitely better," He mumbled, smiling up at her. "Where's, uh, where's Tweek?" He asked, Mary sitting in the recliner.

"Richard needed his help at the shop. He left about an hour ago." She said, Craig sitting up slowly.

"Do you think Richard would mind if I showed up?"

"Richard wouldn't mind. It's probably slow right now anyways. I can write down the address for you." She said, Craig nodding. He passed over his phone to her, Mary typing it into a note for him as he stood. Thanking her after she passed his phone back, Craig took the opportunity to get dressed and ready for the day. After a nice warm shower, Craig got dressed and bid farewell to Mary for the time being. The drive was relatively short, the coffee shop hard to miss as he turned onto the block. He pulled up out front, smirking a bit as he saw Tweek, his father, and two girls inside. Tweek's movements were very animated as he spoke, his head tossed back with laughter as he talked to the two girls. Despite never meeting them, Craig feels like he should know them. As he approached the shop, he realized who they were: _the girls from the musical picture_. The little bell _clinked_ as he walked in, Tweek's face lighting up as he saw it was Craig.

"Hey!" He giggled, passing his broom over to the strawberry blonde and rushing over. Craig let out a soft laugh as Tweek threw his arms around Craig's neck, his arms instinctively around his waist.

"Hey, kid." He chuckled, Tweek pressing a quick peck to his lips. When the blonde turned around, he blushed a bit as Annie and Millie stared at him, their mouths open.

"Are you _fucking kidding me_?!" Millie whined, gripping the broom handle harder.

"What?" Tweek asked, an amused smile on his face as he slowly took the broom out of her hand.

"You get your first boyfriend and he looks like _that_?!" Annie said, motioning her hands towards Craig for emphasis. Raising an eyebrow, Craig smirked as he let out a soft laugh.

"Nice to meet you, too." He chuckled, Millie groaning.

"Tweek, why didn't you tell us your boyfriend was _a hunk_?"

"Didn't think it was _that_ important." He yelped as Annie and Millie pushed passed him, their hands out stretched towards Craig.

"I'm Annie!"

"I'm Millie!"

"And I'm Craig." He chuckled, taking Annie's hand in his first before taking Millie's.

"Oh, a _gentlemen!_ " Millie giggled, Annie giggling as well.

"You seem older Craig! Have you recently graduated college?" Annie asked, Craig shooting Tweek a look. He just had a grin on his face, giving a slight nod as if to say _tell them._

"Not recently."

"Oh! How many years ago would you say, if you don't mind me asking?" Millie said, Craig smirking a bit as he thought.

"Almost eight years ago." He said slowly, Tweek giggling as his friends slowly turned to gape at him.

" _Tweek_!" They said together, everyone stopping suddenly and looking up at the ceiling. The music had gotten louder, Tweek's eyes widening as he recognized the song.

" _Dad!"_ He yelled over the music, his face turning a dark red as Craig covered his mouth with his hand to stop from laughing.

"I love this song!" Annie laughed, Millie and her looking at Tweek. They blinked, noticing how red he was as the song progressed.

 _Everybody screamed when I kissed the teacher_

 _And they must have thought they dreamed when I kissed the teacher_

 _All my friends at school_

 _They had never seen the teacher blush, he looked like a fool_

 _Nearly petrified 'cause he was taken by surprise_

Richard walked out from the back, a bag of coffee beans in his arms. He laughed as he saw how red Tweek was, Craig just looking amused more than anything.

"Sorry! I couldn't resist!" He laughed, Tweek shooting his dad and look, but he couldn't hold back his laughter at this point. He turned his attention to Craig, the music being turned down back to a reasonable volume.

"So, Craig, what do you do for a living?" Millie asked, Craig chuckling softly. He tore his gaze away from Tweek's, locking eyes with Millie.

"I'm a professor." He said, eyebrow raising as if to ask her if she's figured it out yet. It didn't seem to click yet.

"Where at and what subject?!" Annie said, Craig leaning against a nearby table. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I teach at the University of Colorado-Boulder and I'm a macroeconomics professor." Craig bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing as they looked at Tweek, their eyes widening slowly as everything started to click into place in their minds.

"Um…Tweek…are you-"

"Dating my professor?" He said, both girls nodding slowly. "Mhm." He breathed out, jumping as they lunged forward.

" _What?!"_ They yelled, both girls grabbing an arm.

"You _dog_!" Annie laughed.

"You just can't make it easy, can you?!" Millie said, Richard dropping another bag of coffee beans on the ground.

"Hello, yes, father in room!" He shouted, Tweek laughing.

"I see you, dad, it's fine!"

"I have innocent father ears!"

"You and I both know that isn't true!" Tweek shouted as Richard walked back into the stock room. Craig snorted, Annie looking at him.

"You're just as bad!"

"What did _I_ do?"

"Dating a student, you _sexy man_ you!"

"Annie!" Tweek smacked her arm, Annie shrugging.

"This is, like, every fantasy of mine coming true." Millie laughed, running a hand through her hair.

"Do you have single, straight professor friends?" Annie said, eyes wide as she looked at Craig.

"They're, like, forty two and have the tendency to drink the entire weekend." Craig chuckled.

"Sign me up."

" _Annie_!" Tweek hissed, smacking her arm again. "Look, I gotta help my dad. Fucking… _behave!_ " Tweek pointed a finger at each girl, rushing to the back to help Richard. As soon as Tweek left, the girls looked at Craig, a serious look on their faces.

"Don't hurt him please." Millie said, Craig humming at her bluntness.

"What makes you think I would?" He leaned his hands on the table behind him, fingers thrumming rhythmically on the top.

"Well, we don't _think_ you will. You seem like a nice guy," Annie started, biting her lip. "He just…he's waited for someone like you to come along for a long time. Tweek is always giving so much…it's just nice to see someone giving back to him, ya know?"

"We've been with him through it all," Millie butted in, Craig turning his attention to her. "When he came out, when he lost his virginity, when he had his first kiss. I'm happy we got to meet _his first boyfriend_. I just…I'd give my left leg for this kid. He deserves the world. He works so hard and I just want him to feel as special as he is." Craig smiled a bit at their words because it seemed like the world had come up with a general consensus about Tweek Tweak: he deserves _everything_. He glanced up as he saw the blonde come out with two bags of coffee beans, ripping one open and starting the process of grinding them. He hummed, looking at the girls.

"I can assure you, I have no intention of hurting him. Those feelings you have about Tweek? I feel the same way. It seems he has that effect on people." He murmured, smirking at them. Millie scrunched her nose up.

"I'm trying to be serious but, _dammit_ , you're too hot to be mean to." Craig snorted at that, smiling at them.

"Listen…I have a question for you two."

"Yeah?" They said together, Craig glancing up at the blonde behind the counter. Tweek looked over, smiling a bit as he saw his two best friends and his boyfriend talking. He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but he could see by the look on Craig's face that he was plotting something. Call it a boyfriend's intuition.

* * *

"No! Not that one!" Craig turned his head slowly towards Tweek, eyebrow raised.

"Then which one?"

"The one behind it. The box isn't as crushed as that one." He said, using the pen he had tucked behind his ear to cross _mashed potatoes_ off the grocery list his mom made. It's the day before Thanksgiving and the god damn grocery store was a _mad house_. Mary had to prepare batter for her scones a day in advance so she could just bake them Thursday after Thanksgiving for the Black Friday shoppers who would come into the shop for a snack and coffee fix. Tweek and Craig offered to do the grocery shopping for the Tweak's Thanksgiving dinner, having nothing else to do (well, Tweek could've thought of something to do, but he was nearly caught giving Craig a blowjob that morning, so he wasn't going to risk having sex. At least not this time Craig visited). Craig was leaving later that evening for Denver, heading back to his own family to enjoy the holiday with them before the men were tossed back into their hectic daily lives as a professor and college student. The end of the semester was quickly approaching, meaning it was crunch time for everyone. Tossing the box of mashed potatoes into the cart, Craig hummed, watching Tweek as he moved them towards their next item.

"What do you want to do for Christmas this year?" Tweek blinked, not expecting the question. He thought a moment, glancing at the list and grabbing a bag of sugar off the shelf.

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"Well…I want to see you, obviously, but I know you probably have plans with your extended family."

"Hmm…sort of? My grandmother usually comes over during the afternoon and then it's just my parents and I for the evening."

"Do you think they'd care if I stopped by? I don't mean to invite myself, I just…really want to see you…it's our first, uh, Christmas together and my birthday is in the mix near the holidays and also _my surgery_ is coming up and-"

"Hey," Tweek stopped suddenly, grabbing Craig's arms. He gave him a soft smile. "Of course you're more than welcome to come by. I'll check with my parents, but I don't think they'd mind." He whispered, rubbing his hands up and down Craig's arm in an effort to comfort him. Craig gave a soft smile and a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry I just…I'm starting to get nervous for the surgery…" He admitted, face slightly pink. Tweek wrapped his arms around his chest, humming.

"You know I'll be there." He whispered, placing a kiss to Craig's chin. At his last chemo treatment, the doctors took an x-ray of Craig's chest to see if the tumor had decreased in size. They saw enough change in size that they felt comfortable enough operating on him without having to do a mastectomy. They scheduled the surgery two weeks before Christmas, meaning Craig could be cancer free for his birthday and for Christmas.

"I know…I just…keep having nightmares."

"I can stay with you for a bit when we get back to campus if you want?" Tweek offered, Craig chuckling softly. He kissed his forehead, giving his hip a squeeze.

"I'll think about it. I do enjoy sprawling out in my bed."

"I enjoy sprawling out in your bed as well. Why do you think I'm inviting myself over?" Tweek teased, laughing as Craig smacked his ass.

"Come on, kid, we have a list to finish."

The rest of the shopping trip was a success, Tweek even tossing in a chocolate bar for each of them to eat on the car ride home. The day went by way too quickly for Tweek's liking, the blonde sitting on his bed now as he watched Craig pack up his suitcase. He was lying on his stomach with his legs kicked in the air, his pajama shorts and crop top on as he sucked on a lollipop he found in the cupboard downstairs. He thinks his mom has been using them for when she's stressed.

"Do you _have_ to go?" He pouted, Craig glancing over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I do, but you're making it very hard for me to want to when you're looking like that." He laughed, Tweek humming.

"What, like _this_?" He giggled, resting his chin on the palm of his left hand while the right hand held his lollipop. He slowly licked up the red candy, humming as he sucked on it lightly.

"Don't do that." Craig warned, pointing a finger at him.

"Why not?" He purred, a grin crawling across Tweek's face as he rolled onto his back. He made sure to run his hands up his exposed torso, tugging his crop top up so his piercings were exposed. Craig grunted softly, throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.

"You're being a fucking tease, asshole." Craig grumbled, Tweek laughing as he continued to suck on his lollipop.

"You're cute when you get all worked up."

"Shut up, kid." He laughed, sitting on the edge of the bed once he finished packing. Tweek smiled up at him from his place on the bed, Craig leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his lips. He tasted like cherries.

"I'm gonna miss you. It's going to be weird not seeing you every day practically." Tweek murmured, Craig smirking slightly.

"I'll miss you too, Tweek." He murmured back, leaning back down to kiss his boyfriend. Craig silently made it his goal to kiss Tweek for the rest of the evening. He accomplished it.

* * *

It was a shitty day weather wise for Thanksgiving, the wind making the rain hit the window harder than it would on its own. The Tweak's all sat at the dinner table, talking about the holiday season and trying to mentally prepare themselves for _after_ dinner. Black Friday was a big day for the coffee shop, a lot of people needing a caffeine boost after shopping for hours on end. They spent most of the day trying to get some rest so they could stay awake until at least eight the next morning, then they'd close for the day. After a delicious meal, Mary and Tweek cleaned up from dinner while Richard left to get things ready at the shop. The two left at home worked on cooking the scone dough that Mary had prepared the day before. After almost two hours of cooking the dough, they drove Tweek's car over to the shop, the car smelling like a nice combination of chocolate chips, cinnamon, and pumpkin. There was already a decent number of people in the coffee shop, everyone's eyes following Mary and Tweek as they carried the platters of scones in from the car. While Mary and Richard ran the counter, Tweek was left in charge of wiping off tables, stocking the cups and lids, filling the cream and sugar stations, and everything else in between. The last time he worked in an environment this hectic was over the summer when he was working nearly full time at the shop. It was almost midnight when Tweek felt himself crashing, eyes half lidded as he wiped down a table. He had a bit of an adrenaline rush around ten he thinks, his anxiety kicking in at some point.

"Tweek, sweetie, why don't you go lie down a bit in the back?" Mary called out from the counter, the blonde nodding silently. Trudging to the back, he laid down on the little couch that was in the break room, the lumpy thing somewhat comfortable to his tired limbs. He let his eyes drift shut, humming softly as he felt himself getting ready to drift to sleep.

"Son?" Jolting awake, Tweek wiped at his mouth, blushing as he was drooling. "I hate to bother you, but I need you for a second. There's something for you." Tweek blinked, furrowing his brows.

"What do you mean?" He mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he stood up. Richard smirked a bit.

"You'll see." Tweek sighed, following his dad to the front. He froze as he saw a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers sitting on the counter top, Tweek's face heating up as he stepped closer. Mary chuckled next to him as he grabbed the card attached to it, recognizing that handwriting anywhere.

 _Hey Kid,_

 _I wanted to let you know I had an incredible time in your home town. South Park will forever hold a special place in my heart now. If my planned work, you should be receiving these around midnight going into Black Friday. I had a little help from your two friends, the ones who could not believe how hot I was._

 _You might be thinking why I got you sunflowers, and there are two reasons. The first is I wanted to give you a little sunshine on a dreary day. They've been calling for rain all week and I remember you talking about how you weren't looking forward to staying up all night, so I hope these brightened your night. The second reason is they just remind me of you. For starters, the petals remind me of your hair. They also turn to face the sun, making sure they grow into their best form. You face yourself towards the future, working your ass off to make a name for yourself. You're doing everything in your power to make yourself the best version of yourself, and that's pretty fucking amazing, kid. Everyone around you can see how hard you're working and I wanted to let you know it's paying off and that I'm so incredibly proud of you._

 _Hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving. I'll see you on Monday at the shop._

 _Love you baby,_

 _Craig_

 _PS: Tell your parents I said hello and let your mother know I miss her cooking already_

* * *

 **NOTE:** Sorry not much happened in this chapter, this was more of a filler/me giving you info chapter! We got a few things coming up though! We got the surgery, Craig's 30th birthday, and Christmas! Hope you at least enjoyed this chapter a bit! I'm officially on summer break, so I'm hoping to take the time to really plan each chapter out now! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:

When I Kissed the Teacher-ABBA


	20. Lesson 20: THC

The last few days of fall break went by way too fast for Tweek's liking. As soon as the week started up, it was back to the grind of school and work, and Tweek was in no way prepared for it. Project deadlines were quickly approaching, he was trying to have a social life, and, most important to him, he wanted to see his boyfriend. Craig ended up texting him Monday while he was at work saying he wouldn't be able to make it in due to the fact he had a department meeting that he was made aware of that morning. The next day, because Craig has had to cancel class so many times and he would have to cancel once more for his surgery, they were cramming macroeconomics in for the entire hour and fifteen minutes. Everyone understood, but it still sucked (even Craig looked ready to keel over from his own talking). They had to keep their after class conversation brief, Tweek having to rush off to work on a group project that he was presenting next Monday. The blonde wasn't even able to go to Craig's chemo treatment that week due to work, which was what killed Tweek the most.

Finally, Friday rolled around, and Tweek was leaving work at six that night. The new girl (he thinks her name is Lilly. She doesn't talk much to him) came in a few minutes after six, Tweek giving her a soft smile as he grabbed his things and started making his way across campus. When Tweek walked through the front door, he jumped as Stan nearly ran into him.

"Shit! Sorry!" He laughed, Tweek slowly shutting the door behind him as he looked around the apartment.

"Are…why are we putting Christmas decorations up?"

"It's after Thanksgiving! We can legally put decorations up!" Wendy said from the step stool she was on, hanging snowflakes from the ceiling,

"Well, what about something for Hanukah? Kyle is Jewish!" Tweek laughed, the red head pointing to the counter top from his spot on the couch. Tweek followed his finger, snickering as a menorah sat as the center piece for the island.

"There aren't many decorations that go into Hanukah anyways." Kyle chuckled, typing away on his computer. Tweek chuckled, sitting in the recliner as he watched Wendy and Stan put decorations up.

"How long have you guys been doing this?" He asked, Stan currently putting an artificial Christmas tree together.

"About an hour." He said, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to connect the pieces. Tweek hummed, looking down at his phone as it buzzed in his hand.

 **Can I see you tonight? I miss you.**

Tweek's heart fluttered in his chest at the three words slapped on to the end of the text. Grinning, he texted back a response.

 _Figured you'd have plans with the guys._

The blonde stood to get changed while he waited for a reply, a buzz echoing through his room as he stripped down to his underwear.

 **Jimmy isn't feeling well and Token is away on a business trip. Clyde said he might come by, but he's lazy and will probably just eat an unhealthy amount of Taco Bell.**

 _Hmmm. What would we do?_

 **Well…Kelly gave me a prescription.**

Tweek blinked, furrowing his brows.

 _Is everything okay? Why didn't you call me?!_

 **Nothing to worry about. Trust me. I'll tell you more when you come over.**

 _Why can't you tell me now?_

 **That's no fun.**

 _I'm gonna fucking strangle you one of these days._

 **Is that a promise? ;)**

Rolling his eyes, Tweek sent him a middle finger emoji, tugging his converse on and walking out. Kyle looked up, ignoring Wendy and Stan's ruckus behind him. Tweek snickered as he saw them trying to fluff out the branches of the artificial tree.

"And where are you off to, young man?" Kyle asked, a smile on his face.

"My boyfriend's."

"Shocking."

"Hey!" Tweek pointed a finger at him, narrowing his eyes. "Remember my revenge, Broflovski."

"I'm starting to think this _revenge_ you speak of isn't going to happen."

"You're lucky I still think you're cute otherwise I'd _smack you_ right now."

"Aw you think I'm cute?"

"I'm leaving!" Tweek laughed, grabbing his keys from the hook by the door.

"Use protection!" Stan shouted.

"Doubt I will!" Tweek called out, Wendy's laughter hitting his ears before he shut the door. The drive was relatively quick, not much traffic surprisingly for a Friday night. Craig had given Tweek the mixtape from their little road trip so he had the songs and could do what he wanted with them. Tweek noticed on the inside of the case for the cassette tape, Craig had written out the order of the songs as they appeared on the tape, the little notion making Tweek's head spin. He found all the songs on Spotify and made a playlist out of it since his car didn't have a tape deck, singing loudly on the car ride over. He shot Craig a text letting him know he was there once he entered his code to get into the building, knocking on his door once he took the elevator up. The door was tugged open suddenly, Tweek blinking as he was face to face with something he wasn't expecting.

"Hey, kid." Craig said, Tweek grabbing the bag out of his hand.

"She gave you-"

"Medicinal marijuana? Hell yeah she did." Craig chuckled, Tweek grinning as he walked past him into the apartment.

"We'll have to thank her."

"I already did," He grabbed the bag from Tweek, the blonde noticing he already had everything needed for rolling a joint or two on the coffee table. "I figured we could have a super lazy Friday night and smoke." He shrugged, Tweek biting down on his lip to stop himself from grinning too wide. Tweek smoked weed every now and then, and every time he has, he's felt _amazing_. He's always wanted to get a prescription for it, but something in his subconscious told him not to. He does have a very addictive personality, after all, and he was afraid he'd get addicted to the drug. _It's a slim chance you would, kid._ Tweek also had the _most amazing sex_ while high with some guy he met at a party last year, the multiple stimulants making his orgasm incredible. _Bitch, get ready for the best orgasm of your life tonight_. Blinking at his incredibly lewd thought, Tweek hummed as he sat down next to Craig, watching him as he started rolling a few joints.

"You're good at this."

"Need I remind you I sold pot in college, kid." He laughed, licking the paper and reaching for the grinder that already had some marijuana ground up. Tweek snorted, watching him still as he leaned back.

"That's right, you were a delinquent." He chuckled, propping his feet up in Craig's lap as he leaned back, rolling and twisting the paper together. Craig snorted, grabbing his lighter and placing the joint between his lips.

"Hey, it's legal now, and that's what's important." He said around the joint, Tweek biting his lip as he watched him inhale. He forgot how _sexy_ Craig looked when he smoked, the man obviously quitting his smoking habit when he was diagnosed with cancer. The raven haired man passed the joint over as he held the smoke for a moment, exhaling slowly after Tweek took it. The blonde grinned, keeping his eyes locked with Craig's as he inhaled. He liked the way Craig's eyes darted over his face as if he couldn't figure out where he wanted to stare. Tweek smirked at him as he exhaled, a thought crossing his mind as he held the joint out to him. _Make him really want you_.

* * *

"Okay okay okay, wait, so, like, of all my roommates, who would-who would you wanna fuck?" Tweek giggled, the room filled with smoke. Craig was lying on his back on the floor, a grin on his face as he looked over at Tweek who was lying on his stomach on the couch.

"I'm already fucking you!"

"I don't count!"

"Hmm…I guess…maybe Kyle?"

"No, he's mine."

"We can share."

"Don't-don't tease me with such thoughts of a threesome with Kyle Broflovski." Tweek gasped, his (very red) eyes widening. Craig giggled at his excitement, glancing over at the TV. They had put a random channel on for background noise and it happened to be playing _Grease_.

"I never understood this!" Craig whined, sitting up and crawling to the TV. "I fucking, like, this guy is so _ugly_! Like, I'm sorry, Rizzo stooped to make Kenickie jealous with-with this _rando_?!"

"I always thought the same thing!" Tweek gasped, pushing himself up to sit cross legged on the couch.

"I always wanted to fuck Kenickie." Craig giggled, covering his mouth with his hand.

"What?! Why Kenickie and not Danny?!"

"Please! Kenickie is clearly the hotter one!"

"Nuh uh! Did you pay attention to Danny _at all_ during Grease Lightning?!"

"No! I was watching Kenickie!" He laughed, Tweek falling into his own fit of laughter. "Tweek?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm _so hungry_." He groaned, crawling over to the couch. He leaned his head on the cushion, pouting up at Tweek. The blonde giggled, running his hand over his head. His hair was actually starting to slowly grow back since the side effects of chemo have been minimal nowadays.

"What do you want?"

"Can we get Taco Bell?" Craig whispered, eyes widening. Tweek gasped, grabbing his face in his hands.

"I _love_ Taco Bell." He whispered, both grinning at each other. They somehow managed to order Taco Bell through Uber Eats, how they did, they weren't sure. Tweek started to grow restless as they fell into a comfortable silence while watching the movie, eventually standing and stretching his arms above his head.

"You look so good." Craig murmured, watching him stretch his limbs. Tweek giggled, bending down to touch his toes.

"I also _smell_ good."

"You do smell good."

"Although, I probably smell like pot right now."

"The entire apartment does." Craig snickered, watching him with half lidded eyes. Venus made her way out from the bedroom, Tweek gasping when he saw her. She was the distraction he needed to stop his restless nerves, his hands running over her stomach as she laid down next to him. He was _incredibly_ horny, but also hungry, and he was not about to have sex on an empty stomach. Suddenly, he gasped.

"Wait!"

"What?" Craig asked, shoulders rising and falling with the beat of the credit song of _Grease_.

"If-should we have sex _before_ or _after_ the food gets here?!"

"You raise an important question, kid." He said slowly, eyes fluttering shut as he grinned slowly.

"Don't-isn't the old saying to wait fifteen minutes after eating before having sex or else you'll get a cramp and _die_?!" Tweek screeched, fingers tangling into his hair. Craig snickered, covering his mouth with his hand.

"That's _swimming_!" He giggled, Tweek gasping.

" _Oh_! You're right!" He said breathlessly, almost in disbelief. Craig giggled, blinking as his phone started ringing. Both men grinned, looking at each other before they spoke in unison.

" _Food_!"

* * *

"Why did he have to die?" Tweek nearly sobbed, already on his fourth taco. They didn't remember purchasing _fifty dollars'_ worth of tacos (they knew the purchased a lot, but not _that much_ ), but here they were, sprawled out on their stomachs on the floor with a box of tacos to split between the two of them as they now watched _Dirty Dancing_.

"Johnny doesn't die!"

"No! Not Johnny! Patrick Swayze! _God_ , I wanted him to fuck me so _bad_." Tweek practically growled, taking a bite out of his taco. Craig snorted, watching how he slid his legs up so his ass was in the air.

"I hate to break it to you, kid, but I'm like ninety five percent sure he was straight."

"What's the other five percent?"

"Um, that he's _gay?_ Duh!" Craig scoffed, tossing the wrapper of his fifth taco aside and moving onto the next. Tweek whined, crumbling up his own wrapper and grabbing another.

"This scene is so _hot_." He breathed out, watching as Baby and Johnny danced with each other in the solidarity of Johnny's cabin.

"Yeah, I always thought so, too." Craig mumbled, both men transfixed on the TV. They didn't even turn their eyes away as they took bites of their food, too worried about staring down Patrick Swayze.

"You look like that." Tweek mumbled, licking his lips as he looked over at Craig.

"Like what?"

"Like Swayze."

"I _do not_."

"You're right, you're _buffer_."

"That's not a word!"

"Yes it is!" He giggled, crawling through the wrappers on the floor to get to Craig. The raven haired man grinned, tongue running over his teeth as he watched Tweek.

"Okay, fine, it is." He chuckled, reaching to the coffee table to grab the second and last joint they had prepared. Lighting it up, Craig hummed as he inhaled slowly, passing it over to Tweek. The blonde put it between his lips, eyes darkening as he looked at Craig.

"Do you want to fuck me?" He breathed out as he exhaled, the sight of the blonde smoking enough to make Craig orgasm at this point. He swallowed hard, nodding slowly as he watched Tweek take another draw from the joint. Tweek hummed, nodding his head towards the couch. "So go sit on the couch." He mumbled, passing the joint over to Craig. Standing slowly, Craig made his way over to the couch after muting the TV, plopping into the center of it with a lazy grin on his face. The joint hung loosely from his mouth, Tweek crawling over with a mischievous grin on his face. Wasting no time, he undid the button on Craig's pants, giggling softly as he looked up at the man, silently asking for permission. Inhaling slowly around the joint, Craig nodded, eyes filled with lust as he watched the blonde work. The joint rested between his index and middle finger of his right hand now as he exhaled, his left tangling into Tweek's hair as the blonde tugged his pants and underwear down in one swift (well, as swiftly as he could) motion. Craig grunted softly, taking deep breaths to relax his racing heart. Maybe it was the pot, maybe it was Tweek, maybe it was a combination of both, but Craig knew one thing: he felt _incredible_ for the time being. Running his hands up Craig's thighs, Tweek gripped at his hips, grinning as he started kissing up the length of his cock. Craig gasped, legs spreading a little more on instinct as Tweek slowly wrapped his lips around the tip of his cock.

" _Fuck_ ," He breathed out, head leaning back onto the cushion of the couch. Craig kept watching though, finding he couldn't look away from the blonde staring up at him as if Craig's approval was the only thing keeping him alive. Resting his elbows on the cushions behind his head, Craig smirked, taking a hit from the joint. "That's good, baby." He cooed, the blonde humming at the words of encouragement. The vibration sent shivers up Craig's spine, soft gasps coming from the man as Tweek kept sinking his lips lower around his dick. _Right. No gag reflex._ _ **Fuck**_. Craig was suddenly jolted back into reality when he felt Tweek pull away, watching as the blonde stood and started stripping his clothes off. It was incredible. It was the most amazing and _sexy_ thing Craig has ever seen. Those _piercings_ were testing him, the man wanting nothing more than to play with them. Tweek knelt back down between his legs, grinning as he took Craig back into his mouth. Craig gasped, not expecting him to literally take _all_ of his length in one swift motion. Unable to help himself, the taller man bucked his hips up, Tweek humming around him. _He's just…going to let me fuck his mouth, isn't he?_ Deciding to test this theory, Craig let his hips buck forward again, the blonde mewling in pleasure. _Jesus fucking Christ_. Letting his head roll back, Craig tucked the joint between his lips, hands tangling into Tweek's hair as he let his hips just move to their own rhythm, unknown to Tweek fingering himself between his legs. He was moaning _a lot_ , the vibrations so exhilarating around Craig's cock. With a sudden _pop_ , Tweek pulled his lips away, Craig dropping his head back down to stare at him. The blonde reached out, grabbing the joint from his lips as he crawled onto his lap.

"Take your shirt off," He growled, tugging at the offensive fabric. Craig nodded, pulling his shirt over his head as Tweek watched him, smoking the last little bit of the joint. His left hand ran down Craig's chest to his stomach, tracing the outline of each of his abs. "You're so _fucking hot_." Tweek breathed out, discarding the last of the joint to the ash tray before lifting his hips up to line himself up with Craig's cock.

"Wait-you need-"

"Prep? I've been fingering myself while I blew you." Tweek giggled, gasping as he sunk himself down onto his dick. Craig gasped as well, biting down on his lip as he watched the blonde slowly take all of him. Once he had bottomed out, Craig noticed that Tweek couldn't stop giggling, his hands tangling into his own hair as he tossed his head back.

"You good, baby?" Craig asked, grunting as Tweek's hips started rolling while Craig was _buried_ in his ass.

" _So good,"_ Tweek gasped, biting on his bottom lip as he moaned into his own mouth. Craig was dumbfounded, wanting to let Tweek do _everything_ if this was how he was going to look while doing so. He watched as the blonde put his hands on the back of the couch, eyes widening slightly as Tweek started to _fuck himself._ Craig's eyes slowly ran down his body, listening to the blonde make soft _ah's_ as he fucked himself on his cock, eyes going back up to his face slowly (after lingering on those piercings for the umpteenth time). Tweek's eyes were closed, a grin on his face with parted lips, hair sticking in every direction from him playing with it. _Oh fuck_ _me_. **The blonde opened** his eyes, staring at Craig as he let out a breathless giggle. "Don't just sit there and watch, _daddy_." He breathed out through a laugh, something snapping in Craig. With a grunt, Craig listened to the blonde yell out in surprise and pleasure as his hand came down hard on his ass, hands grabbing Tweek's hips as he snapped his own hips up.

"Don't act so surprised, kid." Craig growled, continuing to slam his hips up hard. Leaning forward, he sucked gently at one of Tweek's nipples, the piercing cold in his mouth, but so _new_ and _exciting._ They were finally healed, so Craig could do _anything_ to them.

" _F-Fuck!"_ Tweek nearly screamed, the sound so beautiful to Craig as he moved to suck on his other nipple. One hand was grabbing at his ass, the other reaching down to stroke Tweek's cock, the man squirming at all the stimulation. "O-Oh- _fucking_ -oh my god!" He gasped, a grin crawling across his face as he let out a laugh, immediately gasping as Craig found his prostate. " _Daddy, please!"_ He pleaded, hands leaving the back of the couch to grab Craig's shoulders. Pulling away from his nipples, Craig smirked up at him.

"Please _what_ , baby?" He grumbled, snapping his hips up. He kept himself buried deep inside of Tweek, rolling his hips in a way that made him hit that sensitive bundle of nerves over and over again.

"Pl- _ahh_ -please m-make me _cum, daddy_." Tweek breathed out, yelling out as Craig pulled out slowly, leaving just the tip of **his cock inside**.

"I'm gonna need more than that from you, baby," Craig chuckled, the blonde scrambling to try and sink his hips back down. "Oh, look at _you_ ," Craig purred, slowly pushing himself back in, listening to Tweek gasp as a grin crawled across his freckled face. "You can't help yourself, can you? You're a _cock slut_." He chuckled, Tweek nodding his head furiously.

"Just- _ahh_ -just for you! Just for _your cock_." He giggled, wiggling his hips as Craig let him sink evem further down. Neither made an effort to move, the room hot, heavy, and still reeking of marijuana. Their limbs were starting to feel heavy from the pot coursing through them, lazy grins crawling across their faces.

"That's right, Tweek," Craig breathed out, sliding one hand behind Tweek's neck to tug him down into a hungry kiss. It was messy and tasted of pot and tacos, but it was _intoxicating_. Tweek returned to fucking himself on Craig, but it wasn't as needy this time, his legs feeling like they were miles away from him. Smiling into the kiss, Craig continued to touch Tweek, stroking him in time with his movements. They sped up at times, but not very much, both men too wrapped up in kissing each other at this point. Tweek's movements started to become more sporadic, lips sliding off Craig's as he started gasping more. "There you go." Craig cooed, Tweek's back arching as Craig heard his name ripped from Tweek's throat as he came. The sound and sensation of feeling Tweek orgasm between them was enough to send Craig over the edge. With a grunt, Craig bit down where Tweek's neck met his shoulder, the blonde gasping as he felt Craig climax deep inside of him. As the air started to settle, Tweek's head was spinning, stars dancing across his vision as he tried to catch his breath.

" _Thank you_." He breathed out, both tumbling over to lie on the couch, Tweek hissing softly as he lost the feeling of Craig's cock inside of him. Craig let out a soft laugh, too high to even think about cleaning himself up at the moment. Tweek curled up against his side, both their eyes closing as they tried to calm their racing hearts. Craig's fingertips danced gently up and down Tweek's spine, the sensation so relaxing to him. The younger man practically melted into the couch, Craig chuckling as he felt his body go lax. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"You don't have to thank me." He mumbled into his hair, Tweek chuckling.

"Of course I do."

"And why is that, kid?" Craig breathed out, opening his eyes when he felt Tweek shift. He had tilted his head up, a lazy grin on his face as he looked at Craig.

"It's not every day you have the best orgasm of your life."

* * *

 **NOTE:** I hope you enjoyed this chapter, you spicy beans! I had the idea to use medical marijuana for a while, I just needed the right time and place, and now seemed about right ;) I'm trying to figure out how much longer I want this to go on for, but I'm leaning towards 10 more chapters, so 30 chapters total. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	21. Lesson 21: Talks of the Past

**NOTE:** TRIGGER WARNING-for mentions of a past suicide attempt! Nothing super graphic, but it could potentially be triggering to some! I have marked where the discussion begins in bold if you wish to skip it!

* * *

It hit him lack a sack of bricks on Tuesday.

Tweek had been expecting it, but he didn't think it would come so suddenly and with a vengeance. It happened every year. Every year since he was sixteen around the holidays. The first thing he did when his alarm rang was immediately turn it off, crawling to the foot of his bed and drawing the curtains over his window. It made his room completely dark. Then, he crawled back into bed, pulling the covers over his head. About an hour later, Wendy knocked on his door around twelve twenty, which was twenty minutes before they all left for macroeconomics.

"Tweek?" She called out, frowning when she didn't get an answer. "Tweek, are you okay?" Pushing the door open slowly, she yelped when a pillow was thrown at the door, immediately shutting it.

" _Go away!"_ Tweek shouted, Stan blinking as he heard it.

"Oh no." He mumbled, frowning as Wendy looked at him, a worried expression painted across her face. Kyle walked out, biting his bottom lip.

"It came early this year." The red head mumbled, everyone tensing as Tweek's door flew open. They all watched as he marched over to the coffee maker, shaking hands pouring the coffee into the blue thermos. After adding the cream and sugar, Tweek quickly stirred it up and closed the thermos, thrusting it into Stan's hands.

"Give this to him." He sneered, immediately walking back to his room.

"Tweek we have class in a half an hour!" Stan said.

" _I'm not going_!" He yelled, slamming his door shut. They all jumped from the force, Wendy sighing slowly.

"I'm not leaving him alone in the apartment. Go. Just…let me know what I missed, please." She whispered to the boys in front of her, Stan and Kyle nodding. After bidding Wendy goodbye, Kyle with a simple wave and Stan with a kiss, the two roommates headed towards class.

"What do you think triggered it so early?" Stan asked, Kyle biting his lip.

"I'm not sure…maybe Craig's surgery?"

"Could be. I mean, it makes sense. I'd be worried too if someone I loved had to go through a surgery like that." Stan said, Kyle nodding in agreement.

"I just…I hate seeing him like that."

"I know, dude…me too."

* * *

Craig was worried.

Well, he was worried about a lot of things. His surgery was a week away and he was getting nervous for that, but he was also worried about the fact Tweek hasn't messaged him back all day. The blonde normally messages him at least once before they see each other in class, so it was really unlike him to not send anything. When he saw Stan with the thermos, he knew something was wrong. It was hard for him to focus on teaching when all he could look at was the noticeably empty seat in the back row where his boyfriend should be. Glancing up at the clock, Craig sighed, seeing it was two o'clock.

"I'm done for the day. Marsh, Broflovski, stay after a second." He said, plopping into his chair and pinching the bridge of his nose. He ignored the _ooo's_ of Kenny and Eric, knowing full well Kyle and Stan knew why he was asking them to stay behind. He looked up when he heard the door close, the two boys leaning against the tables by his desk.

"It's…about Tweek isn't it?" Stan asked, Craig snorting.

"It's like you read my mind." Craig teased, Kyle laughing softly. The mood shifted suddenly, Kyle and Stan glancing at each other.

"Look…we're not…exactly at liberty to say…but Tweek…he goes through this… _episode_ once a year around the holidays." Kyle said slowly, Craig furrowing his brows.

" _Episode_?"

"It isn't an episode, really, it's…almost like seasonal depression." Stan explained.

"Except it's caused by something in his past that happened around this time." Kyle added, Craig frowning.

"From his past?"

"That's where we're not at liberty to say. He told us in his own time, and I figured he'd want to do the same with you. I think you'd be able to get it out of him, though." Stan said, Craig nodding slowly.

"So that's why he wasn't returning any texts, huh?"

"And why he isn't here, and why Wendy isn't here, because she hates to leave him alone when he gets like this." Kyle said, the older man nodding once more.

"You're welcome to come by later if you want…you might be more help than any of us. We normally don't know how to handle it. He goes through waves of being really, really angry and then really, _really_ sad." Stan offered, Craig chuckling sadly.

"Little odd to be inviting your professor to your apartment, Marsh." Craig laughed, Kyle snorting.

"Little odd to be fucking one of your students." The red head said, Craig rolling his eyes with a smirk.

"Touché."

* * *

It's hard to do his job, Craig realized, when all he can think about is Tweek. He was currently finishing up his last section of the day and was ready to bolt out the door to head over to Tweek's apartment, and that's exactly what he did when he dismissed class. After packing up his bag and closing his door, Craig drove over to the apartment complex, Stan having given him his number so Craig could text him and let him know he was there. Tweek still hadn't sent him a text back and it was nearing five thirty at night. Criag's stomach lurched as he pulled into the parking lot, quickly texting Stan.

 **I hope this isn't a bad time, Marsh, because I'm outside.**

 _You came at a good time. It's really bad_.

At that text, Craig ran as fast as he could across the lot and into the building, heart thumping wildly in his chest as he rode the elevator up to their floor. Stan was waiting for him at the door, a worried look on his face as Craig approached.

"He hasn't left his room all day and we can't get him to come out. He locked the door." He quickly explained to Craig, the man nodding as he walked in. Kyle and Wendy were sitting on the floor by Tweek's bedroom door, bags under their eyes. They had clearly been trying to coax the blonde out for hours, exhaustion starting to settle in. Wendy looked almost thankful to see Craig. Jumping up, she wrapped her arms around him, sniffling softly. Craig blinked, but wrapped his arms around her.

"I-I'm worried." She breathed out, Craig putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Why don't you all go get something to eat and come back in about a half an hour? Give me some time with him. I'll get him out." He whispered, Wendy nodding in agreement. She needed to leave the apartment anyways, starting to go stir crazy from being in the same position nearly all day.

"Thanks, Craig." Kyle mumbled, shooting a tired smile at him as they walked over to grab their coats and put their shoes on. Stan gave him a nod of his head, a silent _thanks_ that spoke volumes to the man. He was thankful that Tweek has surrounded himself with such caring people, because Lord knows he needs to be cared for every now and then. Once the three friends left, Craig bit his lip, knocking gently on the door.

"Hey, kid," He said, leaning his forehead against the doorframe. The silence was deafening to Craig, the man humming softly. "Not talking, huh?" He breathed out, turning and sliding down the nearby wall until he was sitting. Pulling one knee up, Craig leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. "We can play this game all night, Tweek, but I'm not leaving until you open this door."

"Go home." The voice was so tired, so broken. It didn't sound like _his Tweek_. It pulled at Craig's heart strings, but he was going to stay firm.

"I'm not leaving."

"I said _go home_!"

"Tweek-"

" _Go fucking home!_ " There it was, the anger Kyle had mentioned. There was a loud thud against the door, Craig jumping and cursing under his breath. He assumed Tweek threw something against the door, but he decided to try something. He stayed quiet, standing slowly and walking over to the door. Opening it slowly so it creaked, he pushed it back shut, making it seem like he had left. He then took his shoes off, making his way back over to the wall he was previously leaning against. It took a few minutes, but the door by him creaked open, Craig frowning when he saw Tweek rush towards the fridge.

"You're easily fooled." The blonde screamed, grabbing onto the handle of the fridge for leverage.

" _What the fuck?!"_ He screamed, eyes wide with panic as he whipped his head around. Craig stood in his doorway, blocking his way back into his room.

"Start talking, kid."

"You-you _tricked me!"_ He screeched, lunging across the room at Craig. The older man quickly grabbed his wrists, the blonde continuing his rant. "Why can't everyone just _leave me alone?!_ I want to be _alone_! _Fuck off I don't want to see you!"_ He screamed, Craig yelling out in pain as Tweek got his arm loose and accidentally scratched his cheek.

" _Shit_!" Craig hissed, Tweek tensing up as soon as he heard him cry out. His green eyes widened, hands covering his mouth as he saw the angry red scratch marks appearing on Craig's face.

"I- _ohmygod_ -I'm so-so _sorry_." He breathed out, tears filling his eyes as his chest started to heave. It stung, but it would go away within a day or two, Craig knew that. He just didn't want to see this look on Tweek's face anymore.

"Tweek, I'm okay, it was an accident." He whispered, blinking as the blonde let out a cry. Lurching forward, Craig caught him as he collapsed, sobs wracking the blonde's chest as he broke down finally. _There's the sadness._ He picked Tweek up, kicking the bedroom door shut behind him and lying him down in his bed. He opened the curtains, letting in the setting sunlight before crawling up into bed next to him.

"I-I'm so sorry." Tweek kept sobbing, shaky hand reaching out to cover the marks on Craig's cheek. Turning his head slightly, Craig pressed a gentle kiss to his hand, placing his own hand over top Tweek's.

"I told you I'm okay, Tweek. I'm fine. _Breathe_." He cooed, the blonde moving closer to nuzzle his face into the crook of Craig's neck. Craig ran his hand gently up and down Tweek's spine, taking deep breathes so the blonde could mimic his breathing. They did that for a few minutes, the room eventually falling silent as Tweek's sobbing subsided. It wasn't for a few more minutes that Tweek finally spoke.

"…This happens every year." It was that same quiet, broken voice that had greeted Craig earlier.

"Stan and Kyle had mentioned that." Craig whispered, face buried into the blonde curls of his boyfriend.

"I-I know to expect it I just…i-it came early this year." Tweek explained, Craig humming as a response.

"Do you think my surgery next week as something to do with it?"

"Maybe…I just…the holidays are hard at first for me…"

"And why is that?" Craig asked softly, placing a gentle kiss to Tweek's hair. The blonde swallowed hard, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to find the right words. _Just say it, Tweek,_ _ **please just say it**_. He let out a shaky breath, gripping at Craig's back.

" **When…w-when I** was sixteen…I was…at a _really, really low_ place. My panic attacks were keeping me awake…my anxiety was at an all-time high. Everything just…wasn't good. Nothing felt right. I woke up every day feeling paranoid and-and sleep deprived for the umpteenth time…I was just… _so over it_. Working was agonizing. Every bit of my body screamed for me to just lie down, but whenever I-I got the chance to, m-my panic attacks would keep me awake. It was just…a never ending cycle. So…one day…my parents gave me the day off. That was…all I needed. I went to the bathroom, found my old anxiety medication that I didn't take anymore…and swallowed what was left.

M-My parents found me barely alive in my room…my dad s-shoved-shoved his fingers down my throat to get me to f-fucking vomit. My mom was frantically trying to call an ambulance, but she was struggling b-because she was watching her _only kid_ basically _dying_. I-I was fine… _obviously_ , but I ended up staying in a psych ward for two weeks after that. That's why I _hate hospitals_ and I-I fall into a depressive state around this time. It-it's almost like PTSD, I guess, but…I-I'm more _mad_ at myself t-than anything…I fucking _traumatized my parents_. M-My mom texts me _every day_ around this time of year because I think she's afraid if she doesn't, I-I'll do something one of these years…I just…I-I'm so _angry_ that I _hurt_ _ **them**_ **like that**!" Tweek's chest was heaving as he tried his hardest not to cry, Craig biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying. He needed to be strong for Tweek, just like Tweek has been strong for him during this difficult time in Craig's life. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Craig kept his lips there, listening to the love of his life cry until his throat was raw. Once he fell silent, Craig swallowed.

"Please know I will always, _always_ be here for you. You will _always_ have someone around you that cares and loves you. Fuck, Wendy and Kyle looked ready to fall asleep sitting outside your door, kid. You have a support system with you. Don't shut us out, please. We hate to see you like this." He whispered, Tweek nodding his head slowly.

"I-I know I do it just…it gets so _hard_."

"And it will only get harder if you don't let us in when you feel like this." Craig said, and Tweek knew he was right. Craig was always right when it came to these things. Wiping the tears off his cheeks, Tweek nuzzled his nose into Craig's throat, closing his eyes.

"I love you, Craig." He whispered, Craig humming softly. The vibration tickled Tweek's nose.

"And I love you, kid."

* * *

Upon their return, Kyle, Stan, and Wendy were happy to see that Tweek had opened up a bit to Craig. As the week progressed, he opened up even more, the anger and sadness slowly working its way out of his system. Craig knew that a lot of it was probably stemming from Tweek's own nerves about his surgery, and Craig felt somewhat guilty about that. Tweek was approaching finals soon and this was the last thing he needed to worry about. He felt selfish in a way, but he would never admit that to Tweek. It was the night before his surgery and Craig was pacing around his apartment, Venus following him around everywhere. Glancing at the clock, Craig bit his lip, holding his phone up to his ear after dialing his mom's number.

" _Can't sleep?"_ She said, Craig laughing softly.

"Something like that." He said, walking out onto the little balcony he had and sitting down. Venus could sense his nerves, resting her head on his thigh. He pet her gently as he listened to his mom.

" _It's all going to be okay. They're not doing a mastectomy which is a huge plus. They just have to go in and take that nasty tumor out and then you'll be back to your normal life!"_

"Well, almost normal."

" _That's right, you're still dating a student_."

"He won't be my student in about three weeks, so technically, I'm almost off the hook." He chuckled, Laura laughing on the other end.

" _I still can't believe you got yourself wrapped up with a student, Tucker."_

"You can't believe it? _I_ can't believe it…there was just…some-"

" _Thing about him. I know, Craig. You tell me this every time."_ Laura chuckled, Craig's face heating up.

"I just-well, it's _true!"_ He hissed, Laura laughing again.

" _There really is something about him, sweetheart. He's a sweet young man and I can see how happy he makes you_."

"He gave me quite the scare last week."

" _How so_?"

"He has real bad seasonal depression apparently that stems back to some trauma from when he was sixteen…he tried to kill himself." He mumbled, Laura humming.

" _That's fucking heavy_."

"Yeah…he just…has so many demons but…just from the start of the semester to now, I've seen so much positive growth in him, ya know? He was so _nervous_ when I met him. Seeing how he is now, minus the depressive episode, is like looking at an entirely separate person, almost!" Craig said, finding himself smiling as he talked about his boyfriend.

" _Ya know, aren't you supposed to notice the, oh jeez, I don't know, the change in his academics? Not his personality?"_

"I notice that, too…I notice everything about, Tweek Tweak." Craig whispered, closing his eyes as his mind wandered to that beautiful, freckled face. Craig swore he could feel his mother smiling against his cheek.

" _What are you going to do with this young man, Craig?"_

"Ideally, stay with him for as long as he'll let me stay with him."

" _What if it's only for a few more weeks_?"

"Then it's for a few more weeks. Don't make me fucking paranoid, though." Craig chuckled, Laura laughing softly.

" _He's good for you, sweetheart. You were so happy at that baptism."_

"Mom, I haven't felt this happy with a guy _ever_. Chris never made me feel this way, even when I thought he did. Tweek…I-I, _fuck_ , I think he's my soulmate. I-I know that sounds cheesy and lame as shit but, like, I whole heartedly believe that he is!"

" _…You're flustered…you never get flustered, baby_." She breathed out, Craig dropping his face to his hand that wasn't holding the phone.

"I-I know! I- _oh god_ -I love him _so much_ and I just want to give him the world because he deserves nothing less than that." Craig breathed out, smiling into his hand as his mother chuckled.

" _It's sweet hearing you speak so highly about someone."_

 _"_ It feels _good_ speaking so highly about someone."

" _Listen, I need to head off to bed soon. I want you to call me before you leave for the hospital. Is your dream boat picking you up tomorrow?"_ Craig blushed at her teasing.

"Yeah, he's driving me." Craig breathed out, looking up at the sky.

" _Good. Call me in the car ride there or before you leave your apartment. Try and get some rest, you'll want it. I love you, handsome, okay? Thanks for humoring your mother every now and then and informing her on your love life."_

"I love talking about boys with you."

" _I know, Craig, I know. Get some rest, baby. I love you."_

"Love you too, mom," He chuckled, hanging up. Letting out a sigh, Craig glanced down at Venus, who was lying on her side by Craig's feet. "Come on, girl," He murmured, standing up. He chuckled as she followed him inside and down the hall to his bedroom. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow." He said, Venus jumping up into his bed. It was going to be a long day, but Craig was nervous and excited at the same time. He was nervous because, well, he was having surgery. However, he was excited, because tomorrow, there's the possibility that Craig wakes up cancer free.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Just a filler chapter la de da! And, uh oh, what's this? An ending chapter number has been decided?! That's right! This will have 30 chapters total! Can you believe it?! Also, sorry if there are MAJOR MISTAKES in this chapter, I am so tired that I didn't proof read at all whoops! Any ways, next chapter will be the surgery auuugh! I hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	22. Lesson 22: Healing

Six am came faster than it normally does for Craig. When his alarm went off, he couldn't help the ball of nerves that suddenly resided in his stomach. He was already starving thinking about the fact he couldn't eat, grunting softly as he rolled over. Venus was already awake next to him, the white ball of fluff licking at his face gently.

"Good morning, honey." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. The warmth of his dog offered some comfort to him, trying his hardest to relax. Around fifteen minutes later, he crawled out of bed to get a shower, returning to his room around six thirty. There were a few texts on his phone, one from Tweek and two from his mom. He read his mom's first.

 _I love you, handsome! It's all going to be okay._

 _Don't worry about calling me this morning. I know I said to, but try and relax. I know you're nervous, so just breathe and enjoy your time with Tweek. It's all going to be over soon!_

Smiling at his phone, he quickly sent a reply before he read the text from Tweek.

 _Good morning, handsome! I'll be over around 7:15 to get you. I love you, Craig. We're almost done with this journey._

Something about the fact that both his mother and boyfriend called him _handsome_ made Craig's heart swell. It was a minute detail he noticed, but it was still comforting that two of the most important people in his life called him the same nickname. He texted Tweek back before getting dressed, deciding to watch the news afterwards to kill some time. Venus joined him, lying across his lap. She whined softly, Craig kissing the top of her head.

"Don't worry, baby girl, everything will be fine," He paused a moment, closing his eyes and holding her a little closer. "Everything will be fine." He repeated, letting out a shaky breath. Tweek texted him around seven fifteen like he promised, Craig giving Venus one last kiss before leaving. Clyde was coming over to get her later in the day, Craig silently wishing he could smuggle her into the hospital. Walking outside, Craig climbing into the passenger side of Tweek's car, immediately leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek. He smiled a bit when he noticed Tweek was wearing the NASA sweatshirt he gave him months ago.

"Morning." Tweek whispered, turning his head to press a quick peck to his lips.

"Hey." Craig whispered back, eyes darting over Tweek's face. They fell silent as Tweek left the parking lot, Craig's hand grabbing his and lacing their fingers. The ride was silent for the most part, a mixture of exhaustion and nerves filling the air. Tweek noticed Craig was bouncing his leg as he looked out the window, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"You okay?" He asked finally, Craig turning his head to look at him.

"Yeah, uh, yeah I'm fine." He breathed out, shooting him a nervous smile. Tweek laughed softly.

"Craig." He said sternly, the older man biting his lip.

"I'm serious, I'm fine." He breathed out again, voice almost tight with nerves.

"Stop lying to me."

"I'm not-"

"Craig Tucker!" Tweek said, the older man letting out a soft whine.

" _I'm scared, okay?!"_ He finally said, turning his head to look back out the window. "I…I'm _so scared_." He whispered, Tweek biting his lip.

"What are you scared of?" He asked, thumb running over the back of Craig's hand gently. Craig was silent for a while, trying to find the right words.

"Scared of just…them not being able to get it all out. Scared something goes wrong…scared I'll just…always have cancer now…I mean, I technically could! They can't see or tell if all the cancerous cells are gone…" He mumbled, Tweek's heart tugging at the way he spoke. Craig almost sounded _embarrassed_ for showing fear, and that made Tweek sad.

"Craig, everything is going to be okay. You're so strong. You're literally the strongest person I know and I've met a lot of people in my twenty one years of life." He whispered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You're just saying that…"

"I'm really not," Tweek said, looking over at him once at a red light. "I know you're strong because you offered me comfort last week during a really hard time."

"Kid, I was close to breaking. I hated hearing you talk about the past…"

"But you didn't break. You comforted me and stayed strong. Hell, you've stayed strong through this entire cancer ordeal! Sure, it got tough at times, but I don't expect you to be Superman all the time. That isn't fair to ask of you. I don't think less of you if you show emotion, Craig," He explained, turning back to the road as the light turned green. "Look, next light I'll put my favorite song on for you. It just makes me feel really happy for some reason and it always relaxes me. How does that sound?" Tweek glanced over at Craig, who was just staring at him. He gave a small nod of his head, Tweek grabbing his phone as they got to a red light. Quickly scrolling through the music on his phone, Tweek pressed his favorite song, Craig closing his eyes as the soft guitar filled the space of the car. A small smile tugged at his lips as he listened to the lyrics as the song progressed.

 _So if you're crazy I don't care you amaze me_

 _But you're a stupid girl, oh me, oh my, you talk_

 _I die, you smile, you laugh, I cry_

 _And only, a girl like you could be lonely_

 _And it's a crying shame, if you would think the same_

 _A boy like me's just irresistible_

* * *

He couldn't stop fidgeting as he laid in the hospital bed, Tweek at his side as he waited to be administered the anesthesia. The blonde leaned over, pressing a few gentle kisses to his cheek before nuzzling his nose into the soft skin.

"Breathe, baby." He whispered, Craig letting out a sharp breath as he realized he was holding his breath.

"F-fuck." He breathed out, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Everything is going to be okay. I'll be here waiting for you. I'll be right here when you wake up." Tweek continued to coo at Craig until Kelly came in, a soft smile on her face.

"You look like a nervous wreck."

"I am one, that's why." Craig mumbled, Kelly chuckling.

"Everything is going to be just fine. It's a procedure Oliva has done countless times. You're in good hands, Craig," She explained, smiling softly at the interlaced fingers of the two men in front of her. Grabbing the mask for the anesthesia tank, she placed it over Craig's face, turning the knob on the tank. "Make sure to breathe as you normally would." She reminded him, Craig nodding slowly.

"I love you." Tweek whispered into his ear, placing a gentle kiss to his temple.

"Love you too, kid." He whispered back, Kelly humming.

"You two have any big plans coming up?" She asked, trying to keep Craig talking so she could monitor his intake of the anesthesia.

"The semester is almost over so I'm really excited to not be teaching for a month." Craig admitted, Tweek snorting softly at his comment. Kelly chuckled, glancing at his tattoo that was peeking out from under the hospital gown.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo." She said, Craig tugging the sleeve up to show her.

"It's Van Gogh's _Starry Night_. I just, I really like space and Van Gogh, so I got something that combined the both of them." He explained to her, Kelly glancing at Tweek with a soft smile.

"Do you think you'd ever get a tattoo that reminds you of Tweek?" Craig looked up at Tweek, blinking his eyes a few times to try and focus on his face. Tweek could see it was getting harder for him to stay awake, the image somewhat adorable and comforting to Tweek's own nerves.

"Oh, uh, I don't know…maybe a sunflower." He slurred, head lulling backwards against the pillow.

"Why sunflowers? And would you get it in the style of Van Gogh's sunflowers?" Kelly asked, standing up to get ready to take him to the operating room.

"Maybe. I don't know! I just-he looks like a sunflower, don'tcha think so? He's got-got nice hair that's wild like a sunflower and he's just-he's the sunshine on my cloudy days and…he just…he's lovely like them and…he…" Craig's words trailed off as he fell victim to the anesthesia, Tweek smiling softly at the now unconscious man in front of him. After Kelly lifted the mask off his face, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lips while her back was turned, a sad smile on his face as he looked up at her.

"We should be back in here in hopefully an hour or so. You need anything, kiddo?" Kelly asked, kicking the locks off the wheels of the bed.

"I'm okay, thanks Kelly." He whispered, watching her push Craig out of the room and to the OR. _It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. It will all be over soon._

* * *

Laura wandered through the hospital halls trying to find the room the receptionist said her son was in. She was mumbling to herself as she tried to calm her nerves, finally seeing the room number and letting out a sigh. No one was in there, well, except Tweek, who was curled up asleep on the couch by the window. She smiled a bit at the sight, chuckling softly as she walked over and pushed the hair off his forehead. The notion caused the blonde to stir, his eyes blinking open slowly.

"Hey, sweetheart." She whispered, Tweek blushing a bit as he glanced up and saw her.

"Oh! M-Morning, Mrs. Tucker."

"Call me Laura, you know that." She chuckled, sitting down next to him as Tweek pulled himself up.

"Right-right, sorry." He breathed out, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Laura hummed a bit as she saw the NASA sweatshirt, hand reaching out and pinching some of the fabric between her fingers.

"He gave this to you?" She asked, Tweek's cheeks heating up some more.

"Yeah. It was, um, before we even started dating. I had a, uh, bad panic attack one night and he took me out to dinner and let me wear this and just…let me keep it." Tweek explained, Laura nodding along slowly.

"I got this for him after he graduated college." She chuckled, Tweek tugging at the sleeves gently.

"Really? That long ago?"

"He's been obsessed with space since he was a kid. I don't know what drew him to it, but I think it had something to do with my father."

"Was he close with him?"

"Incredibly. The two were inseparable whenever they were together, my dad always pointing out constellations for him and they always said 'my heart to the moon' after saying 'I love you' to each other. He passed away when Craig was twelve. It was his first real experience with death. Sure, he had a few pets die here and there, but never an actual person. I remember he didn't cry until months later when we visited his grave just him and I on my dad's birthday. I think it hit him right then and there." She said, her lips turned up in a reminiscent smile. Tweek smiled sadly, looking down at the sweatshirt.

"Is that why he wanted to be a physics major?"

"It is, yes. He told me that day at my dad's grave that he'd do something Poppop would be proud of."

"I think even now he'd be proud of him…don'tcha think?" Tweek whispered, blinking when Laura reached over and gave his hand a squeeze.

"My father would've adored you. He would've been so happy to see his grandson so lively and in love with someone." Tweek blushed a bit, opening his mouth to speak, however, a movement by the door caught their attention. Both blondes standing with a grin on their face as Kelly and a few other nurses came into the room with a still unconscious Craig.

"He was perfect! No issues at all," Kelly chuckled, both Tweek and Laura letting out a sigh of relief. "We were able to successfully remove the tumor and we're hoping to keep him here for the rest of the week so we can monitor his chest to make sure no more anomalies form in that time. The doctor wants him to do one more round of chemo tomorrow as a precaution to kill any potential cancer cells." She explained to them, hooking up an IV to Craig's arm and placing the blood oxygen meter on his finger.

"Thanks so much, Kelly." Tweek breathed out, Laura smiling at her.

"I'm Craig's mom, Laura."

"Oh! My goodness, it's a pleasure to meet the woman behind my favorite patient." Kelly laughed, shaking her hand.

"Favorite, huh?"

"Oh, we love him here. Every time Tweek and Craig come in, I know it's going to be a good day." Laura looked over at Tweek, her eyes a little wide.

"You…you've come to every chemo treatment with him?" She whispered, lips turning up into a smile. Tweek blushed at her look, swallowing hard.

"O-Of course! I just…I know how busy you and-and Thomas are and-and even Tricia, so I just-he shouldn't have been alone, ya know?" Laura reached up, cupping Tweek's face in her hands and smiling.

"You're such a sweet man." She whispered, Tweek's face hot under her touch.

"I-uh-thank you." He choked out, smiling a bit. Laura let out a soft laugh, Kelly smiling.

"It's obvious how much you love him, Tweek. We can all see it," She said as she walked towards the door. "He should be waking up within a half an hour! Give me a buzz when he does, alright?" The blondes both nodded, sitting back down on the couch.

"So, the semester is almost over for you, right?" Laura asked, Tweek nodding.

"Yeah! I'm real excited for it to be over. This past month of so has been killer and I'm just ready to be done."

"You think you two will go more public once you're no longer his student?" She asked, Tweek biting his lip. He looked over at Craig, thinking.

"We…haven't talked much about it. The idea hasn't really crossed my mind. I just…I kind of enjoy the privacy of it all, ya know? It feels more intimate that way." Laura nodded as Tweek finished speaking, chuckling softly.

"I get that. It's nice sometimes to have it seem like it's you two in your own little world."

"Exactly! That's how I feel. Sure, he's my first boyfriend and it would be nice to show him off sometimes, but I've really enjoyed letting it just be us and the small handful of people who know. It just…I never imagined my first relationship like this…but I'm so happy it's the way it is." Tweek was smiling by the time he finished talking, and Laura couldn't help but smile when she saw him. It felt refreshing seeing someone so head over heels for her son.

His body was still numb, but the room felt too bright as he blinked his eyes open. Keeping his eyes half lidded, he started searching the room, trying to find a familiar face.

"Is that my sleepy boy?" Laura chuckled, standing and walking over. She could tell he was still out of it, trying not to laugh as he rolled his head to the side to look at her.

"Hi mommy." He giggled, Laura snorting.

"Oh, Christ, you're delirious." She laughed, pressing the _nurse_ button on the wall so Kelly can come check on him. She watched as his eyes drifted to the other blonde in the room, a soft gasp coming from her son.

"Mom, _who is that_?" He breathed out, tilting his head up to look at his mother. Laura laughed softly, stroking his hair (which was still slowly growing back).

"You don't remember Tweek?" She chuckled, Tweek walking over to stand by Laura.

"Hey beautiful." He breathed out, Craig quickly turning his face away as he gasped again.

" _Ohmygod_ , _mom, he's talking to me_." He breathed out, Tweek covering his mouth to stop from laughing as he noticed Craig's legs kick slightly in excitement.

"Craig, Tweek is your boyfriend, sweetie." Laura cooed, Kelly walking in. She, too, was trying not to laugh as Craig turned and stared at Tweek in disbelief while she checked his vitals.

"He's _what?!"_ A tired grin crawled across his face, Craig running a hand down his face. "But-but he's _so hot_!" He giggled, Tweek's face a bright red as he grinned behind his hand.

"You two have been dating for almost a month now, sweetheart." She chuckled, running her thumb gently over his jaw. Craig reached out, trying to grab Tweek's hand.

"I can't believe this! This is amazing! I got-I won _the_ _jackpot!_ " He laughed, Tweek unable to stop his laughter as he was tugged closer to the edge of the bed.

"You're very flirtatious for someone who was just too embarrassed to look at me." Tweek giggled, Craig snorting.

"Please, I'm _cool_. I'm _super cool_. I'm _the coolest_." He murmured to the blonde, a laugh escaping his lips as his eyes fluttered shut. He was struggling to stay awake, the anesthesia still working its way out of his system. Tweek sat on the edge of the bed, giving Craig's hand a squeeze.

"You are, Craig. You're the coolest." He chuckled, Kelly humming.

"Everything looks good! I'll be back throughout the day to check on him."

"Thanks, Kelly." Tweek said, turning back to Craig after she left.

"So, _hot stuff_ , when do I get to take you out?" Craig slurred, trying his best to stay awake. Tweek snorted.

"Your birthday is coming up." Tweek said, Laura going back to stroking Craig's hair in an effort to get him back to sleep. Craig hummed, a smile on his face.

"My birthday? Really? I have one of those?" He asked, Tweek trying not to laugh as he took a deep breath.

"Yes," He breathed out, smiling. "You have a birthday. You're going to be thirty."

" _What?!_ Where did the others go?!"

"They passed!"

" _I missed twenty nine birthdays?!"_ He yelled, sitting up. Tweek shushed him, pushing him back gently so he was lying back down.

"You didn't miss them, you just don't remember them right now." Tweek laughed, Craig's head struggling to stay upright. Laura coaxed his head back so he was fully lying down, Craig's eyes closing once more.

"That's not fair." He mumbled, sleep beginning to take over.

"Everything will be fine, sweetheart. Just get some rest." Laura whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. Craig continued to mumble for a few more minutes until he fell quiet, signaling to the two blondes he was finally asleep and working the anesthesia out of his system. Laura chuckled, looking at Tweek.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat."

* * *

The rest of the week went by slow, but it wasn't bad. Tweek had a hard time focusing in his classes on Wednesday and Friday, but he was with Craig all day on Thursday. They spent the day just cuddling and trying to relax, Craig having a lot of pain from the incision. The doctor said that was normal and that it should get better each day, and by the time Saturday rolled around, Craig only had a little soreness in his side. It was manageable, and Craig was starting to feel optimistic about this entire situation. He would never tell Tweek, but he had nightmares each night that the doctor's would have to come in and operate on him to get more tumors out. He talked to Kelly about them, and she said it was probably being caused by left over nerves that haven't shaken from him yet. It was around two in the afternoon on Sunday and Tweek was sitting cross legged at the foot of his bed, both boys talking while playing Rummy on the small table that hangs over the bed for Craig to eat off of.

"Do you think you will ever get another tattoo?" Tweek asked, looking at his cards before making his move.

"Rummy, and yeah I've thought about it." Craig said, Tweek cursing under his breath as Craig grabbed the cards he called.

"I forgot that this game is bullshit." The blonde mumbled, Craig snorting.

"You're just not good, kid."

"That's fucking rude." Tweek chuckled, watching Craig make his move.

"Do you ever want to get a tattoo?"

"Maybe. I'm very indecisive. Do you remember what you said before you went under the anesthesia on Tuesday?" He asked, Craig biting his lip as he thought while Tweek made his move.

"No, can't say I do."

"Kelly had asked if you'd ever get something that reminded you of me, and you said sunflowers." Tweek's cheeks dusted pink as he spoke, Craig chuckling.

"I could get them in Van Gogh's style to match my other."

"You babbled about something like that." Tweek chuckled, a knock coming on the door. Craig's doctor, Olivia, walked in, a small smile on her face.

"Cards, huh?"

"We're going old school, Liv." He chuckled, Olivia pulling a chair over and sitting next to the bed.

"I haven't played cards in ages." She admitted, Tweek smiling a bit. They had met on Wednesday when he came after classes to Craig's (hopefully) final chemo treatment. They had been doing CAT scans of his chest each day and tests to make sure nothing has tried to grow back.

"Come by later and play me once he's gone." Craig chuckled, Olivia smiling at him.

"Well…that's what I need to talk to you about." Both men blinked, placing their cards down and moving the table out of the way.

"Is…is everything okay?" Tweek asked, Olivia seeing the nerves crossing both their faces.

"We checked the most recent CAT scans from Friday and there was still nothing there. I feel comfortable letting you go home. I want you come back though every two weeks for us to monitor your chest over the next two months." She explained, Craig blinking as he let out a breathless laugh.

"So…does that mean…?" Olivia smiled a bit at the both of them, Tweek lunging forward and pressing their lips together as she spoke.

"Mr. Tucker, I'm thrilled to tell you that you're now in remission."

* * *

 **NOTE:** Y! Ya'll must not trust me because I received so many asks/comments about "if you kill Craig, I swear" I LOVE MY BABY BOY TOO MUCH! But he's in remission! It's finally gone! Fuck cancer! He did it! (Why am I feeling pride for this character I made have cancer? Wow I must be really tired). I hope you all liked this chapter! I've been feeling really stuck with this story lately and I'm having trouble trying to figure out how I want to wrap it up. I have a few ideas, but to get some juices flowing, I am going to take a little break from this story tomorrow and write a one shot! It will be Incan Craig and Outlaw Tweek, something that was highly requested over on my tumblr ;) So be on the look out for that! I hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:  
Whistle for the Choir-The Fratellis (I saw them in concert this week and this song made me cry because my boyfriend showed this to me on a cold December evening after a lovely date night and listening to it live with him next to me was really surreal and this song is just so beautiful tyfguhij)


	23. Lesson 23: Birthday Boy

Things slowly started returning to normal in their daily lives. Craig went home and reunited with Venus, the white ball of fluff so _excited_ to see him. When he went into work the following day, there was a new air about him. Every student could tell he was feeling himself again finally. Craig wasn't sure exactly why he was so thrilled about everything. Sure, he was in remission, that's one thing to be extremely excited about. However, his thirtieth birthday was looming over his head, approaching quickly on the eighteenth. Yes, Craig Tucker was born a week before Christmas. He was the jolliest mother fucker around during this time of year because he normally just gets shit faced drinking eggnog with the guys. This year was different though. Craig had a boyfriend for the first time in nearly four years, and said boyfriend has not told him any hints about his gift. Was Craig excited about turning thirty? Not in the slightest, but he was excited for his birthday. He's always excited for his birthday. After classes on Monday, Craig decided to visit Tweek at work, something he hasn't done in a very long time and often missed doing. The little bell above the shop door was like music to his ears, the blonde behind the counter seeming to perk up when he saw who it was.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes." Tweek breathed out, Craig laughing softly as he walked up to the counter. The shop was empty, so there was no harm in leaning across and stealing a quick kiss from Tweek.

"Could say the same about you. I missed seeing you in here."

"Well, I was always here, you weren't."

"You know what I mean, smart ass." Craig chuckled, Tweek shooting him a smile.

"You need anything?"

"I'm good, thanks, kid." Craig hummed, leaning against the counter.

"So, your birthday is on Sunday." Tweek said suddenly, Craig blinking.

"It is."

"The big three-oh."

"Don't remind me, Tweek." He chuckled, the blonde smiling.

"Do you have any plans with the guys?"

"They're taking me out for dinner and drinks on Sunday."

"Can I come over on Saturday then and give you my present?" This caught Craig's attention, eyebrows shooting up a grin crawling across his face.

" _Present_?" He asked, Tweek rolling his eyes.

"Of course! What, did you think I didn't get you anything?"

"Well, I didn't get you anything for your birthday."

"Two things: we weren't dating then, and you got me home safely. That was your present to me." Tweek said, reaching across and grabbing Craig's hand. The older man gave his hand a squeeze, bringing his hand up to his lips and pressing a few kisses to his knuckles. The entire display felt so… _domestic_ to Tweek.

"Any hints on what it is?"

"There's no fun in that." The blonde chuckle, leaning his cheek on the palm of his free hand. Craig let out a whine.

"No fair!"

"Need I remind you you're turning thirty, not thirteen."

"I'm thirteen at heart." Craig murmured, bringing Tweek's hand up to his lips once more. He pressed a few kisses to his knuckles once more, chuckling softly against his skin. Tweek felt his face heat up, smiling a bit.

"You certainly act like it sometimes." Tweek breathed out, his heart fluttering in his chest. Craig snickered softly, letting his hand drop.

"Well, listen, I hate to rush off so soon, but I have to head home because I have a lot of things to catch up on from being out. Give me a call when you get off work, alright?" He said, Tweek nodding as Craig pushed off the counter.

"Will do, handsome!" Tweek called out, Craig waving over his shoulder. Once the man was out of Tweek's line of vision, he pulled his laptop out to do some homework that he was making up as well from a few of the days he missed classes and then to study for finals (they started on Wednsesday). It was hard to focus, the events he had planned for Saturday lingering in his mind. There was only one problem though: he needed to get Craig out of the house. He ended up finishing his work faster than he figured he would, so he started thinking. _I could call Tricia, but it's almost Christmas and she's probably busy with Maura. Maybe Wendy? No, I won't make her do that. Could I send him on an errand?_ Suddenly, Tweek had an idea, a grin crawling across his face as he dialed a number and pressed his phone to his ear.

" _Hello_?"

"Bebe! Are you busy on Saturday?"

" _No, why?"_

"You're still seeing Clyde, right?"

 _"We're actually going out for dinner later."_ Tweek grinned at those words. _Bingo_.

"I need you to do me a favor."

* * *

It was the perfect situation. Bebe and Clyde were bringing Craig with them to shop for a new coffee table for Clyde's apartment while Tweek snuck into Craig's place. He told them he only needed about an hour and a half, two hours tops, to prepare for Craig's birthday surprise/present. However, they couldn't come upstairs for it, for it was only for Craig. Bebe got his hint, Clyde, however, was a little butt-hurt at first. After a quick explanation from Bebe, Clyde understood. Craig figured Tweek was coming over around dinner time to share a nice meal and get his present. However, that wasn't _quite_ the case, because Tweek wanted to surprise Craig. He's gotta keep the man on his toes somehow. Around two o'clock on Saturday, Bebe sent him a text.

 **Just leaving Craig's place. Eagle is in the nest** _ **.**_

 _Thanks Bebe! Text me when you're leaving the store and I'll let you know if I need more time_.

After looking at the thumbs up emoji Bebe sent back, Tweek grabbed the bag of things he needed and made the half hour drive over to Craig's. His fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel, face already flushing a light pink as he glanced over at the bag in the front seat. He was so excited to see Craig's reaction to his surprise, but he was also _insanely nervous_. Shaking his head, Tweek pushed those intrusive thoughts away, gripping the steering wheel a little bit harder as he drove. When he got to Craig's apartment complex, he put all the codes he needed to enter the building in, walking into Craig's apartment after getting the spare key out. Venus seemed surprised, yet happy, to see him, the ball of fluff rushing over.

"Hey girl," Tweek breathed out, setting the bag down and then putting the spare key back before closing the door. He looked around, trying to figure out what he wanted to do first. _Set the mood_. Grabbing some candles out of his bag, Tweek placed them throughout the room, hands shaking as he tried to calm his nerves. _God, what if he hates this? What if I don't surprise him? Fuck, I should've just gotten him that Van Gogh book or whatever!_ Jumping when he felt something touch his leg, Tweek let out a yelp, Venus looking up at him. "You scared me!" Tweek hissed, Venus whimpering softly and tilting her head. With a sigh, Tweek gave her head a pat. "Sorry…I'm just…nervous." He murmured, turning his attention back to the task at hand. Grabbing the sunflowers from the bag, Tweek put them in a vase that he found in the cupboard, placing them on the coffee table. They were just to show Craig he loves him. Well, all of this was to show Craig he loves him, but the sunflowers are a little something else. _Cake_. Turning his attention to the ingredients he brought, Tweek started laying them out on the countertop one by one, swallowing hard as he got to the last bit of the surprise. _Here goes nothing_.

* * *

It wasn't how he really wanted to spend a couple hours on a Saturday, but Craig didn't mind helping Clyde. Sure, it was still odd to him that his best friend was seeing one of his students (granted, who was he to talk?), but it was a productive few hours nonetheless. Bebe spent a lot of time on her phone, frantically texting back and forth with someone, but Craig didn't care, really. As they pulled up to his apartment complex, Clyde stopped him.

"Hey, we still want to take you out for some drinks and dinner tomorrow. Sound good, grandpa?" Clyde giggled, Craig rolling his eyes with a small smile.

"Sounds good. You three pick the place, but you all have to agree, so have fun with that." He chuckled, Clyde smiling.

"Bye, Craig! Happy early Birthday!" Bebe called out before Craig shut the door, Craig giving them a wave to signal he heard and to say goodbye. He hummed softly to himself as he entered the complex, checking his mailbox for any birthday cards. There were a few: one from his parents (they would celebrate his birthday on Christmas Eve), his grandmother, and from Tricia, Dan, and Maura. He opened them on the elevator ride up, stuffing the cash from his grandmother into his wallet for safe keepings. As he approached his apartment, he stopped, smelling the air. It smelt sweet, the scent reminding him of a bakery. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard as he hoped and prayed that the smell was coming from his apartment. Sticking the key into the lock, he walked in, freezing as he entered. Not only was the cake smell coming from his apartment, but he was greeted with the most _beautiful_ sight.

Tweek looked up from the cake he was spreading whipped cream onto, a grin crawling across his face. The room was lit by candlelight, casting an ominous, yet romantic, aura into the room. What caught his attention the most was the fact Tweek was wearing an apron, but it looked like he was wearing _only_ an apron. The red apron was pretty against his pale skin, the white lace surrounding the edges of it making it even more beautiful.

"Happy Birthday." Tweek breathed out, face a light pink as Craig slowly shut the door behind him.

"You…this…is this-"

"I'm sorry it isn't anything _physical_ but…I figured we could… _get physical_ ," The blonde giggled, dipping his finger into the bowl of whipped cream and sucking it off his finger with a hum. Craig watched with dark eyes, walking over slowly. "I made you a strawberry shortcake." Tweek said, turning to walk over to the fridge. Craig let out an embarrassingly loud groan, his hunch about Tweek wearing only the apron being right. However, he noticed something else.

" _Do you_ -"

"Mhm," Tweek breathed out, Craig licking his lips as his eyes ran over Tweek's ass. The black butt plug was so noticeable against his pale skin. "I wanted to be ready for you." Craig gripped at the counter top, pants becoming uncomfortably tight as he watched Tweek grab the container of strawberries from the fridge.

"Kid, you really know how to surprise a man." Craig chuckled, voice low as he tried to keep his composure. Tweek hummed grabbing the bowl of whipped cream and dipping a strawberry in, taking a bite out of it while locking eyes with Craig. Licking the excess whipped cream off his lips, he grinned.

"Why don't we go to your room, hmm?" He asked, the older man dumbly nodding as Tweek also brought along the whipped cream and strawberries. There were more candles on the night stand, Craig's heart fluttering at the ambiance. It was very domestic in a crazy way, the entire thing reminding him of things married couples would do to spice up their Valentine's Days. Craig shut the door behind him while the blonde set the whipped cream and strawberries on the night stand, lying down on the bed. "C'mere," Tweek giggled, Craig walking over slowly. The blonde grinned up at him. "I want you to do anything and everything you want. We're not just celebrating your birthday, but we're celebrating you going into remission, alright? We haven't been able to really explore each other for a while now, so I want you to just…go crazy."

" _Crazy_ , huh?" Craig chuckled, Tweek placing a hand on his cheek.

"Yeah… _crazy_." He breathed out, eyes dark with lust as he stared up at the man above him. Craig's eyes darted over to the food on the night stand.

"You brought the food in here for a reason." He said slowly, Tweek shrugging.

"I have _no idea_ what you're talking about." He chuckled, Craig grabbing the bowl of what he assumes was homemade whipped cream.

"C'mere," Craig murmured, Tweek sitting up. Reaching behind him with one hand, Craig leaned his forehead against Tweek's, hand moving to untie the apron. Soft gasps escaped Tweek's mouth, Craig assuming the movement was pushing the toy deeper inside of him. Once it was undone, he lifted it over Tweek's head, gently pushing the blonde back onto the bed. Taking the rubber spatula, Craig slowly smeared some of the whipped cream over Tweek's collarbone, watching as he shivered at the contact. Once he was satisfied, Craig leaned down and slowly started licking at the tasty sweet, sucking gently at the skin once he cleaned it off. Listening to Tweek moan only fueled his desire more, the sucking eventually turning into biting as he moved further along. "When did you buy the butt plug, kid?" He chuckled, Tweek's chest vibrating against his as he laughed.

"L-Last weekend."

"Could've borrowed mine." Craig breathed out, pulling back to look at Tweek's face.

"Y-you _have one_?"

"Yeah, sometimes I use it while I masturbate." Craig said, shrugging slightly. Tweek scoffed, a grin on his face.

"What else do you have that you've been hiding from me?!"

"A cock ring."

"You-you mean to tell me you've had a cock ring the _entire time_ we've been dating and we have _yet to use it_?" Tweek hissed through his teeth, Craig having reached down to grab the base of the toy and beginning the process of slowly fucking Tweek with it.

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds accusatory," Craig chuckled, reaching over and grabbing a strawberry. He ate one as he moved his hand to move the toy inside of Tweek, continuing to eat strawberries as he did so. "I like food in the bedroom. It's like I get a show _and_ a snack."

"Y-You're supposed to be participating."

"It's my birthday, kid, I'll do what I want." Craig practically growled, grabbing the rubber spatula to spread some whipped cream along Tweek's stomach. The blonde whimpered as he started licking it up, back arching at the sensation.

"You're being _mean_." He breathed out, Craig humming as he dropped a dollop of whipped cream on the tip of his cock.

"Don't you start mouthing me off." Craig murmured, dropping his head down to lick at the whipped cream. The blonde gasped, gripping at the sheets as Craig wrapped his lips around his cock.

" _Oh fuck_." He gasped, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to calm his breathing. It's been a very long time since Tweek was on the receiving end of a blowjob, and god dammit, he was going to enjoy it. Letting his hands wander down to Craig's head, he tangled his hands in his (still pretty short) hair, trying to form the words he wanted to say so badly, but found he couldn't. Not with Craig doing some god damn voodoo magic with his tongue. _Why is he so good at using his tongue? Is that even legal? What the fuck? Stop thinking so much and enjoy your god damn blowjob?_ Gasping as Craig pulled his lips away, Tweek looked down, whimpering softly at the hungry look on Craig's face. It was glorious, really, but Tweek bit his lip to stop himself from begging. This was Craig's time to do whatever he wanted. His eyes moved with Craig's movements, watching as he reached to the night stand and grabbed a strawberry, dipping it in some whipped cream. Craig hummed softly, bringing it to Tweek's mouth, the blonde happily accepting the fruit with a content sigh.

"What do you want, kid?"

"Anything. Everything." He breathed out, chewing slowly at the fruit. Craig chuckled softly, biting his lip as he smiled.

"Don't move," Craig murmured, standing up. Slowly, he started unbuttoning his flannel, Tweek watching each movement his hands made. Craig watched the blonde's throat bob as he swallowed hard, the taller man locking eyes with Tweek as he stripped his boxers away. He broke his gaze to rummage through his side drawer until he found what he wanted: the cock ring. Craig chuckled as Tweek's right foot started fidgeting, toes curling as he watched Craig slowly put the simple rubber ring on, rolling it slowly down to the base of his dick. "You seem eager," He purred, crawling onto the bed slowly and hovering over the blonde. Tweek nodded furiously, his words betraying him as he simply whimpered as a response. "I should've known, considering you've been stretching yourself for me." Craig murmured, grabbing the base of the butt plug and pulling on it slowly. Tweek gasped at the sudden movement, biting down on Craig's shoulder as the taller man continued to pull until the toy was discarded to the side. Tweek gripped at Craig's back, finger nails dragging down his back.

" _Please_."

"Please _what_?"

" _Fuck me_." Tweek growled, biting down on Craig's neck again as his fingers scraped at Craig's back more. The raven haired man groaned, hips bucking forward at all the stimulation.

"Well, because you asked _so nicely_." Craig purred, slowly sliding in as he spoke. Tweek groaned, tossing his head back as Craig quickly bottomed out from how stretched out he was already.

"O-Oh my god."

"Relax, baby." Craig murmured by his ear, starting a painfully slow pace. Tweek screwed his eyes shut, soft gasps escaping his lips as he listened to the bed creak and moan underneath of them. Everything was tingling as they moved together, his hips eventually moving down to meet Craig's thrusts. The man above him grunted softly, sucking at a sensitive patching of skin by Tweek's ear. The blonde squirmed underneath of him, yelling out as the pace suddenly increase.

"Craig!" He cried out, yelling in surprise as he was tugged upwards. Craig had moved into a sitting position, Tweek suddenly on top. However, something caught Tweek's attention. Across the room slightly to his right was a mirror, putting everything they were doing on display for Tweek. As Craig held him close, lips sucking at his nipples, Tweek realized he was literally _watching himself get fucked_. Whimpering softly, Tweek kept his gaze on the mirror, eyes wandering to Craig's hips as they continued to pound upwards into him.

"What else do you want, baby?"

"D-doggy." He gasped, whining at the sudden loss of Craig's cock.

"C'mere," Craig breathed out, Tweek scrambling to get himself into position. He laid his face down, making sure he could see himself still in the mirror as Craig positioned himself behind Tweek. "You doing okay?"

"'m great," Tweek hummed, eyes darting back to look at Craig's. He gave him an encouraging smile, Craig humming softly as he pressed a few kisses to Tweek's lower back. Suddenly, Tweek watched in the mirror as Craig's face dipped lower, yelling out in surprise as his tongue started licking at his entrance. Gripping at the sheets with his left hand, Tweek reached down and started jerking himself off with the other, Craig gripping at his ass as he started eating him out. " _Shit!"_ Tweek's body jolted as he felt Craig chuckle, tongue swirling around and making him feel so _good_. The warmth of his mouth left suddenly, quickly being replaced by his cock. With a shout, Tweek tried to focus on the mirror, watching as Craig grabbed at his hips and tossed his head back, eyes closed and face covered in bliss as he lost himself in the moment. _He's so fucking beautiful like that, holy shit_. Tweek felt like he shouldn't be watching the moment, but he couldn't look away, not now. Not with Craig's reflection breathing heavily, groaning, and holding his hips so tight that Tweek was sure little fingertip shaped bruises would appear. Swallowing hard as he moved his hand faster, Tweek couldn't tear his eyes away from the mirror, whimpering softly as he watched and felt Craig's right hand move from his hips to grab at his ass.

"You're so good." Craig groaned, Tweek's jolting forward with a yell of pleasure as Craig's hand came down _hard_ on his ass, the blonde letting out a cry.

"A-again! Please!" He gasped, grinning as he watched Craig spank him again, and then again. It was all so _good_. All _too much_. The fourth time Craig brought his hand down on Tweek's ass, the blonde couldn't hold it back anymore. " _Fuck!_ " He screamed, finally ripping his gaze away from the mirror as he came. Craig didn't give up, however, continuing to fuck him through his orgasm. Tweek grinned into the comforter, body going lax as he started the process of coming down from his orgasm high. It was hard to do that when Craig was still fucking him, but he didn't mind.

"There you go, kid." Craig mumbled, falling forward and pressing his chest to Tweek's back. The blonde closed his eyes, reaching a hand up and tangling his fingers into what was there of Craig's hair.

"You feel so _good_ inside of me, Craig." Tweek cooed, the raven haired man grunting at the encouragement. He bucked his hips forward a few more times, biting down on Tweek's shoulder suddenly as he came deep inside of the blonde. Tweek gasped at the sensation, his body still sensitive to the touch. The blonde winced slightly when Craig pulled out, collapsing onto the bed besides him. Their feet rested on the pillows, somehow during the sexual escapades, they switched ends of the bed. Neither seemed to mind, Tweek curling up to Craig's side and burying his face into his neck. The raven haired man chuckled softly, hand tangling into his hair and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

"Thank you, Tweek."

"For what?"

"This little birthday surprise. It was amazing."

"I got you something physical…just…figured I'd save it for Christmas, yeah?"

"Works for me." Craig chuckled, wrapping his arms a little tighter around him. Everything felt good, felt right. The two spent the rest of the day doing things around the apartment that Craig wanted to do. It entailed mainly eating most of the strawberry shortcake that Tweek had made with Venus curled up between them in bed, both eventually passing out around eleven that night. However, Craig Tucker would wake up with a pleathora of birthday text messages on his phone. Tricia and Dan each sent him one. His mother sent a long paragraph about the labor pains she went through with him, but how it was all worth it at the exact time he was born ( _6:47 am_ ). His father sent him one about an hour after his mother, some message about how getting old is fine not so hidden in his text. Clyde, Token, and Jimmy each sent him ten reasons why he was a great friend, making a grand total of thirty reasons why he was a great friend. For, you see, Craig Tucker was officially in his thirties when he woke up the next morning, and he was suddenly okay with that when he saw the blonde sound asleep next to him.

* * *

 **NOTE** : It's been awhile! Sorry for the lack of updating, I ran myself into a writing wall and have had no motivation to write. However, during this break, I have the last of this story fully planned out! I start working at my new job on Wednesday, so expect the updates to continue to be spread. This just means this story doesn't end in the next week or so! (It could, but the chances are slim). I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

PS: Sorry for any mistakes, I'm very sleepy and got lazy through my second read of the chapter whoops!


	24. Lesson 24: Santa Baby

The rest of Craig's birthday celebration went off without a hitch. His dinner out with the guys was a wonderful treat and it was also their way of celebrating his remission. Craig continued to feel better and better each day, the man also thrilled that the semester was finally over that Tuesday. He saw Tweek off on Wednesday and returned to Denver himself on Thursday. Since Craig doesn't have an apartment in Denver, he just stays with Tricia and Dan while he's in town (or his parents, but Tricia wanted him to come stay at her place). The plan was for him to celebrate Christmas Eve and his birthday with his family, wake up on Christmas for a nice Christmas breakfast, and then he'd make the hour and a half drive to South Park to spend a few days with the Tweak's. Christmas Eve rolled around and it was a wonderful night full of cake, presents, and just an overall good time with the Tucker's at Tricia and Dan's home. As everyone started getting ready to leave, however, Laura pulled Craig aside, standing by the Christmas tree.

"How have you been feeling?" She asked, hands rubbing up and down her son's arms. He smiled a bit at the notion.

"I've been feeling good, mom. They haven't found anything still at my appointments and they told me that the likely hood of something coming up on the CAT scan is slim to none."

"Good, good, that's good. How's your boy doing now that the semester is over?"

"He's doing well. He was so overworked that I'm glad he's finally relaxing."

"What time are you heading to South Park tomorrow?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Probably before noon? Tricia has a breakfast plan so I intend on staying for that. Plus, I want to see what they got Maura." Craig chuckled, Laura smiling softly. It faltered slightly as she bit her lip.

"…You haven't told Tweek yet, have you?" She whispered slowly, Craig biting the inside of his cheek.

"…No."

"When are you going to?"

"Probably New Year's Eve? I don't want to ruin his Christmas…"

" _Both of yours_ Christmas. It's your first Christmas with someone in a long time." She said, Craig humming softly as he thought about the smiling blonde.

"It is, huh?"

"Yes, and that's why I think you should tell him."

"I can't, mom." Craig breathed out, grabbing her shoulders. Laura sighed sadly.

"And why not?" Laura asked gently, Craig sighing and letting his forehead drop forward to lean against his mom's. Finally, after a moment, Craig swallowed hard before speaking.

"Because I'm not breaking the kids heart on Christmas."

* * *

Tweek has been pacing around the house all afternoon, Richard and Mary watching him with cups of coffee in their hands as their son tidied the already clean home.

"Should we stop him?" Richard murmured to his wife, Mary humming as she thought of an answer.

"Let him. He's nervous."

"Why? We've met Craig already."

"My mother hasn't." She explained, leaning into her husband's side more. Richard hummed as he figured out why his son was nervous, arm wrapping around Mary a little tighter.

"Oh, _now_ I get it."

"I don't know why he's so nervous, my mother will think Craig is great."

"Just let him at this point. Maybe he'll grow tired soon?" As if on cue, Tweek came out from the kitchen, face flushed red from scrubbing the sink. He plopped himself onto the recliner, slouching in the seat and staring at his parents.

"Feel any better?" Richard asked, bringing the mug to his lips.

"No." Tweek pouted, tugging his legs to his chest as he sat himself upright.

"Sweetie, why are you so nervous?"

"Well, for starters, grandmom still has to meet Craig, and I don't think she even knows about him."

"She doesn't." Mary chuckled, Tweek's fingers going to his hair.

"Exactly! Second, Craig is coming and it's our first Christmas together and I'm just-I want it to be _special,_ you know?! I just-I keep thinking about my gift for him."

"You put a lot of thought into it, Tweek, he'll love it." Richard assured him, shooting his son a soft smile. As Tweek opened his mouth, a knock came from the door, Tweek's eyes widening as he stood up.

"It's probably grandmom." Mary said as her son walked behind the couch, Tweek tugging the door open. He sighed a bit when it was in fact his grandmother, a bright grin meeting his eyes.

"There's my handsome boy!" She laughed, tossing her arms around Tweek's neck. Julie was about five foot four, always standing taller than most due to her personality. She had bright green eyes, freckled skin, but she was a little darker in skin tone than Mary and Tweek. She was approaching seventy, but she still looked really good for her age. Julie was healthy, too, often referring to herself as a "borderline hippie" due to her eating habits and life style choices. Tweek admired her for her care free attitude, often wishing to have the same mindset.

"Hi grandmom." He breathed out, wrapping his arms around her. Julie pulled away, patting his face gently.

"How have you been, handsome?" She asked, moving past him to greet Mary and Richard while Tweek shut the door.

"I've been good! Been busy, glad the semester is finally over."

"Good, good! Now that the boring part is out of the way, how's your sex life?"

"G-Grandmom!" He choked out, face flushing a bright red. He always forgot how blunt his grandmother was when it came to the usually taboo topics. Richard choked a bit on his coffee, Mary rubbing his back as she tried not to laugh. Mary and Tweek were fully aware of their son's sexual activity, Richard just doesn't like to think of his son that way (which was understandable).

"Well? How is it?"

"I-um-well, I uh, have, uh, a b-boyfriend?"

"And you didn't _call me_?!" She gasped, Tweek rubbing the back of his neck.

"I just-it happened so quickly and-and the situation is a l-little odd?" It came out more like a question, but Tweek got his point across.

"What do you mean by _odd_?"

"He's dating his professor, mom." Mary said, noticing Tweek was struggling to put the words together.

" _Mother!"_ Tweek screeched, Julie turning her attention from her daughter to her grandson.

" _You're doing what now_?!" She asked, a grin slowly crawling across her face.

"I-uh-yeah." Was all Tweek could manage.

"You'll love Craig. He's coming over today." Richard said, Julie's eyes widening.

"I get to meet him?!"

"Y-Yeah."

"How old is he?"

"H-He turned thirty a week ago."

"Did you say _thirty_?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Good boy, Tweek." Julie laughed, grabbing his hand and giving it a squeeze. Tweek smiled a bit at the notion, everyone settling in to just relax and watch some Christmas movies. They fell into an easy flowing conversation, Julie asking mainly questions about Craig for almost an hour while they drank coffee (or, in Julie's case, a cup of hot chocolate). Tweek jumped when his phone buzzed in his lap, a blush crossing his cheeks as he read the message.

 **Open your door please my hands are full.**

Jumping up, Tweek tossed the door open, Craig walking up the driveway.

"How'd you text me if your hands are full?" He asked, noticing the bottles of wine in each of his hands.

"I texted you before I got out of the car?" Craig said slowly through a laugh, eyebrows furrowed as a grin crossed his face. Tweek stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. He leaned up, pressing his lips gently against Craig's.

"Merry Christmas." Tweek whispered against his lips, Craig smiling.

"Merry Christmas, kid." He chuckled, Tweek pulling back to look at his outfit. Jeans, those red converse, and a navy blue sweater. Craig also had his glasses on, Tweek humming at the sight as he took it all in.

"My grandmom is here."

"Give me a name."

"Julie."

"Got it. I'm ready." Tweek snorted at Craig's energy, taking one of the bottle of wine from him as he turned the knob to enter his home. Mary was on the other side, a grin on her face.

"Hello handsome!" She said, tossing her arms around Craig's neck. Tweek grabbed the other bottle from Craig, the taller man smirking over Mary's shoulder at him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Mary." He chuckled, Richard walking over and grabbing his hand.

"Merry Christmas, Craig."

"Yes, Merry Christmas to you as well." He said, Richard smiling.

"And congrats on entering remission!"

"Oh! Right, thank you!"

"Well, aren't you a tall glass of water!" Julie squealed, rushing over to squeeze herself between Richard and Craig. "I'm Julie, Tweek's grandmother." She said, a grin crossing her face as she stared up at Craig.

"It's a pleasure." He said, Julie grabbing his hand.

"I like you."

"Thank you?"

"Come! We're going to sit and you're going to tell me more about you!" She said, tugging Craig over to the couch. Tweek walked back out from the kitchen, hand covering his mouth to stop himself from laughing as Julie practically sat herself in Craig's lap. She was so small next to him, it was comical in a way. Tweek sat in the recliner, legs pulled up to his chest as he held his cup of coffee close, watching Craig interact with his grandmother. It was wonderful, really, seeing Julie so vibrant and excited over someone so important to Tweek. _God, you were nervous for nothing_.

* * *

Julie ended up leaving around four that afternoon, the Tweak's and Craig settling down for a bit before they have to set up for dinner. Mary's been making a ham throughout the day, but the other sides still need to be completed. Mary stood after a while of sitting, humming while she stretched her limbs.

"Alright boys, I'm gonna go finish cooking. Richard, can you help me with the sides?"

"Sure, honey." He said, standing to follow his wife. Tweek turned his attention to Craig, a smile crossing his face as he reached over under the blanket they were sharing and ran a hand up under his sweater. Craig shivered at the touch, but relaxed as his fingers danced over his skin gently.

"What're you thinking about?" He asked, Craig swallowing hard. _You can't tell him. Not on Christmas_.

"You." _Not totally a lie_.

"Oh really?"

"I'm always thinking about you, kid." He murmured, arms stretched along the couch cushions. He let his head lean back, eyes still focused on Tweek's face.

"Why?" Tweek chuckled, eyebrows furrowed. Craig thought a moment. _How can I not think about you? I'm going to fucking break you and that kills me_.

"Because you're my boyfriend. Am I not allowed to think about my boyfriend?"

"No you're allowed, just didn't think you'd think about me so… _highly_."

"Of course I do." Craig murmured, hand coming up from behind Tweek and tangling into his hair. The blonde seemed to visibly relax, eyes closing as he let himself fall into Craig's side.

"When do you want to exchange gifts?"

"I had to get you a gift?" Craig teased, snickering as Tweek pinched his side.

"You're an ass." Tweek chuckled, Craig ducking his head down and kissing the top of his head.

"How about before we go to bed?"

"Mkay," Tweek breathed out, eyes fluttering shut as he curled closer. Craig bit his lip, looking down at the mass of blonde hair lying against his chest. _It would be so easy to tell him, so easy to ruin Christmas…no, you're not doing this to him. Not today_. _New Year's, like you said to mom. God, why the fuck does this suck so badly?_ "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Craig breathed out, running a hand down his face.

"You okay?" Tweek asked again, lifting his head.

"Yeah…just…thinking again."

"Your heart's pounding…" Tweek murmured, hand reaching out to touch Craig's cheek gently. Craig reached up and held his hand there, closing his eyes.

"I'm fine, kid, I really am." Craig assured him, leaning forward and pressing their lips together gently. Tweek slid his hand back from his cheek to tangle his fingers into the short hairs at the base of his neck, his head tilting slightly as he moved himself closer. Both men jumped back suddenly when they heard Richard speak.

"Dinner will be ready soon, boys." He chuckled, swirling the wine he had poured around his glass.

"J-Jesus Dad!" Tweek gasped, clutching his chest.

"Don't be so dramatic, Tweek, you're twenty one," Richard laughed, turning his gaze to Craig. "Your wine choice is great, Craig."

"T-Thanks, Richard." He choked out, still trying to calm his racing heart. Richard snickered a bit before turning back to head into the kitchen, Tweek letting out a shaky breath as he stood slowly.

"I, uh, should we-"

"Yeah…yeah let's go eat."

* * *

After yet another delicious meal from Mary, Tweek insisted that Craig and him took a walk to look at the Christmas lights on the homes. Craig couldn't resist such a request, often doing the same thing with his family when he was younger. Fingers laced, the two slowly made their way down the streets of South Park, quiet for a little while before Tweek spoke.

"You're hanging around for a bit tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, of course." Craig said, giving Tweek's hand a squeeze.

"Okay, just double checking."

"Why?"

"I was thinking maybe we could watch a few movies like we do on the weekends sometimes."

"That would be nice." He said with a smile, Tweek humming as he stopped in front of a brightly colored house. Candy cane lights lined the walk way while colored lights twinkled all around the trimming of their home.

"Would you ever want to do this to your house one day?" Craig asked, eyes looking over the assorted lights. There was a Christmas tree on the front porch, he noticed.

"I don't think this extravagant, but I'd definitely do lights." Tweek said, looking up at the second floor and noticing a little girl watching them. He blushed a bit, giving Craig's side a nudge. When Craig looked over, Tweek nodded his head towards the second story, Craig furrowing his brows until he saw the little blonde haired girl sitting in the window with a stuffed animal. She raised her hand, waving to them. They waved back, a smile on both their faces. She then reached down and grabbed her bear's paw, waving it at them. They made sure to wave back, the girl looking over her shoulder suddenly as if someone called her name. She gave one last quick wave before disappearing, the two men chuckling as they continued on their walk.

"Do you ever think about having a family one day?" Craig asked, Tweek blushing.

"What, with like…you?"

"Well…it doesn't have to be me, but I'm glad you'd want that with me." Craig said, Tweek's face heating up even more.

"Oh…yeah, right. Uh…yeah, I've thought about it. Not seriously, just…whenever Wendy mentions families or weddings, I can't help but think about my own, ya know?"

"She talks about that a lot?"

"I mean…from time to time. She watches 'Say Yes to the Dress' sometimes and that often puts her in a wedding mood."

"That show puts me in a wedding mood."

"You watch it?" Tweek snorted, Craig smirking.

"With Tricia mainly."

"Well, what about you, then?"

"What do you mean?" Craig laughed, Tweek stopping them in front of another house.

"Have you ever thought about a house and a family?" Tweek asked, Craig silent as he thought a moment.

"Not until recently," Tweek felt his heart swell. "Seeing Tricia starting her own family made me think of my own. I mean, I hadn't really met someone that made me think that way…until you, really. You're just…so easy to be with and I wouldn't mind that kind of life with you, ya know?" Craig said, face a light pink. He bit his lip to stop himself from speaking any further, instead looking down at Tweek, who was looking at him with bright eyes.

"Yeah…I know what you mean," The blonde whispered, Craig smiling a bit and pressing a kiss to his forehead. Tweek yawned suddenly, humming. "Come on, let's head back. I can't wait to give you your gift any longer."

* * *

When they returned to the Tweak residence, the men immediately went upstairs to Tweek's room, Craig taking in the now familiar room once more. It felt homier this time around, now that he was well acquainted with the home and its residence. Sitting on Tweek's bed, he watched the blonde rummage through his closet until he pulled out a neatly wrapped gift, Craig feeling his cheeks heat up a bit as it was placed in his lap.

"Merry Christmas, Craig." Tweek breathed out, the raven haired man looking up to meet his gaze. Silently, Craig reached into his pocket, tugging out a small box and passing it over to Tweek. The blonde's face immediately turned dark red, his eyes widening slowly.

"Merry Christmas, kid." Craig whispered, Tweek holding the wrapped box as if it would break in his hands. They both opened their gifts at the same time, Craig smiling slowly as he saw what the gift was. It was a scrapbook filled to the brim with images of this past semester. There were some pictures in it that Craig didn't even know existed, some that Clyde, Token, and Jimmy definitely sent Tweek to include in the book. Craig grinned as he continued to flip through each page, the blonde across from him staring into the box with teary eyes. It was a necklace, but the pendant is what really got Tweek. It was a simple little silver bar, but there were coordinates engraved on the front. Upon further inspection, when he flipped it over, it read _Blonde roast. With a Splash of Cream. Large._ across the back.

"C-Craig…you-"

"It's the coordinates for that damn coffee shop you're wasting your talents in."

"A-and that was your first order…wasn't it? The day we met…" Tweek choked out, a grin crossing his face as Craig grabbed the box and took the necklace out, motioning for Tweek to turn. The blonde did, closing his eyes as he felt the cool metal hit his neck.

"Yeah, it was," He chuckled, wrapping his arms around Tweek's waist as he finished. "I was also trying to see if you'd pick up on my subtle flirting with that order." Craig admitted, Tweek's eyes flying open.

"Craig, _oh my god!"_ He laughed, Craig grinning into his shoulder as he nuzzled his face there. The two decided to get ready for bed after that, crawling under the blankets. They laid awake for another hour or so flipping through the scrapbook together, the two reminiscing over the past four months. It's been a crazy ride, if Craig was being honest, and as he laid there trying to fall asleep that night, his heart felt heavy. Sure, it was a wonderful day with Tweek's family, but his mind kept going back to what he needed to tell Tweek. It's hard to fully enjoy a day of gathering when all Craig could think about was the fact he was going to hurt the most important person for the second time, and this time, in Craig's opinion, it was much, much worse.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Hoo boy what could Craig have to tell Tweek (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖) The next chapter will be the start of the angst so get ready, babies! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	25. Lesson 25: A Cure for Two Broken Hearts

Craig left the Tweek's a little bit after dinner the following day, Tweek's scrapbook of wonderful memories sitting on the passenger's seat. It was taunting him at this point, reminding him of the terrible thing he still has to tell him. It was breaking him, really, and it was taking everything in Craig's power not to turn the car around and tell Tweek. When he saw the Denver exit approaching, he knew it was too late. He needed to talk to someone, someone that wasn't his family. Glancing at the clock on the car radio, he grunted as he grabbed his phone, holding it to his ear.

" _Hello_?"

"Get the guys together, Token."

" _Craig, what's-"_

"I need to talk to you guys. It's a Code Red."

"… _Did you say Code Red?"_

 _"_ You heard me." There were a few moments of silence, a sigh from Token breaking Craig from his rapid thoughts.

" _Meet us at our usual spot."_

"Be there in twenty."

* * *

Craig sat with Token and Jimmy at a booth at a bar they frequent when they're all home in Denver, leg bouncing as he sipped at his rum and coke. He set the glass down, finger running around the rim of the glass as he kept glancing behind Token and Jimmy at the door.

"D-Dude, you're starting to-to freak me out." Jimmy said, Craig sighing.

"I'm sorry, I just-"

"I'm here! I'm here!" Clyde shouted as he burst through the doors, sliding into the booth next to Craig. Craig snapped his jaw shut, the muscles tightening as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Is this about the shit you told us on your birthday?" Token said finally, Craig's eyes flashing up towards him. Silently, he nodded, bringing the glass up to his lips once more. He ordered another drink when the waitress came around to get Clyde's order.

"I don't know how to tell him."

"Yeah...you're in quite the pickle," Clyde murmured, everyone slowly turning their gaze to him. He blinked, realizing they were now all staring at him. "What?"

" _Quite…the pickle_?" Token said slowly, eyebrows raised in question. Clyde scoffed.

"You mean to tell me you've never heard that phrase?"

"Oh no, we've heard of it, we just didn't expect an almost thirty year old man to say it." Craig said, punching him in the arm. Clyde winced a bit, glaring at Craig before turning his attention to his beer that was just dropped off.

"You all need to refresh your vocabulary." He murmured, Jimmy rolling his eyes.

"A-Anyways! Back-back to the issue a-at hand." He said, everyone grumbling in agreement.

"You haven't told him _anything_?" Token asked, trying to get all the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Nothing. I just-I didn't want to ruin his Christmas."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?"

"I couldn't bring myself to. Every time I look at the damn kid it's like a fucking punch in the gut. I'm constantly reminded that I need to tell him and I can't get the fucking words out because I don't _want_ to have to do this, but I have to!" Craig groaned, taking a long sip of his drink. It's times like this he wished he still smoked, but he knew having to quit was for the better.

"Are you planning on telling him any time soon?" Clyde asked.

"I'm shooting for your New Year's Eve party." He said, motioning to Token. The man blinked, eyes widening.

"You're telling him at my party?!"

"He's coming into town for it anyways!"

"You'll ruin the damn party!"

"How will I ruin the damn party, Token?!"

"You'll bring the vibe down!"

"I'll tell him on the balcony!" Craig hissed, Token grumbling as he twirled his straw around his coke. He was designated driver for him and Jimmy (he picked him up along the way).

"W-What're you gonna-gonna do? Kiss h-h-him and then-then drop the news on him a-after midnight?" Jimmy asked, which caused Craig to bite his lip as he twirled the ice in his drink around with the stirring straw.

"I don't know…I don't even know if I'll tell him at the party, I just know I need to tell him soon."

"You're running out of time…" Clyde reminded him, Craig dropping his head to his hands with a sigh.

"Yeah…thanks for the reminder." Craig mumbled, downing the last of his drink.

"Dude, chill on the drinks." Token said, noticing Craig's face getting flushed. He hasn't drank really strong alcohol in a long time, let alone drink in a long time, due to his chemo treatment, so Token was sure the alcohol was going straight through him.

"'m fine, let me be." Craig mumbled, ordering another rum and coke. Token sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"If this is how you're going to act, maybe you shouldn't go through with this thing." Token said, dropping his hands to the table.

"No, I have to. I just…I've never felt so strongly about another person, okay? I'm afraid!" Craig admitted a little louder than he intended, the man sinking down in his seat as a few heads turned. Jimmy snickered, sipping at his beer.

"Y-You just have to d-do it, Craig. There really isn't m-much-much for us to tell y-you at this-this point." Jimmy explained, Clyde nodding.

"I mean, we'll obviously be here for you, but it's up to you at this point. We can't tell him for you, you have to tell him…and soon." Clyde added, Craig sighing sadly as his drink was dropped off. Moving the stirring straw around his drink, he eventually nodded, eyes dropping shut as he felt a wave of sadness consume him. _Fuck_.

* * *

New Year's Eve approached faster than Craig had anticipated, his ears ringing the second he woke up. Today was the day. Today was the day that he had to tell Tweek. He couldn't keep putting it off anymore. In order to distract himself, he offered his help at Token's with setting up for the party. Each year since their first year out of college, Token has thrown a New Year's Eve party, and they're always the talk of the town. It's a night full of casual drinking (well, when they were younger, it wasn't as casual), some delicious food, and an overall good night to reflect on the past year with friends and some family members. The only family that ever showed were just Craig, Clyde, Jimmy, and Token's immediate family. Sometimes Marcella Tucker would make an appearance, but she had already sent Token a fruit basket for the party with a card wishing him a Happy New Year, which meant she probably wouldn't show up this year. Craig was okay with that, considering the circumstances he was under. Around three o'clock, Token and him sat down on the couch, a beer in their hands as they finally finished setting up. They still had about four more hours before people started showing up.

"I hate seeing you like this, man." Token said, Craig sighing. He didn't really feel like talking about this now, but he figured it would prepare him for tonight.

"I hate _feeling_ this way."

"It's going to suck, but you need to do this tonight." Token said, Craig snorting softly.

"I thought you didn't _want_ me to tell him here."

"Well, I changed my mind. I think tonight is the best time for you since Clyde was right, you know."

"About what?" Craig asked, sipping his beer.

"You running out of time. Craig, you can't keep running from this. You're putting yourself in a corner, dude."

"I know! I… _fuck_ , this is just really hard for me, okay?" Craig hissed, Token taking a moment before responding.

"I know Craig…I know this is hard for you, and like we said the other day, we'll be here for you, alright? We all know how much you really love this kid. I couldn't imagine having to do this, but you know you have to." Token explained, Craig letting out a shaky sigh as he ran his hands down his face.

"Yeah…I know…" He murmured, a knock coming from the door. Token stood up, leaving Craig to sip at his beer. However, Craig smiled a bit when he heard the familiar voice of Clyde at the door.

"Wassup party people?!" Clyde laughed, Token snorting.

"You're stuck in the eighties, Clyde."

"Well, my friend, I was born in eighty nine, so your argument is invalid."

"Clyde, we were all born in eighty nine."

"Not me." Craig snorted, Token rolling his eyes.

"Except for grandpa." He said, shutting the door as Clyde walked over to the fridge to grab a beer.

"Speaking of grandpa, how're you doing?" Clyde asked, walking over with a can of beer. Craig shrugged, pursing his lips as he did so.

"Could be better considering the circumstances of tonight."

"Wait, you're telling him?" Clyde asked, Craig nodding slowly as Token sat down.

"You were right…I'm running out of time." Craig said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Clyde glanced over to Token, biting his bottom lip before turning his attention back to Craig.

"Why don't we practice what you're going to say?" Clyde suggested, Craig shaking his head.

"I was just…going to wing it. Let it come from the heart, as clichéd as it sounds." He said, Token humming.

"That's probably the best…considering how much this hurts you." Token murmured, Craig sighing as he closed his eyes.

"Yeah…it'll hurt him more."

* * *

Tweek arrived at Token's around seven thirty, the party already hustling and bustling with people. A lot of people he didn't recognize, but he gravitated towards Tricia and Dan since he saw them first. Tricia grinned when she saw him, tossing her arms around him.

"Double T! Oh my god, I've missed you!" She laughed, pulling away and holding him by the shoulders. "You look so good!" She gasped, taking in Tweek's outfit. It's his typical mustard colored turtleneck, paired with black skinny jeans and a pair of red Doc Martins he got for Christmas.

"Thank you! I wanted to show off the new boots!" He laughed, sticking his leg out to emphasize his shoes. Tricia grinned, ducking down to look at them.

"Oh they're cute! From your parents?"

"Yup!" Tweek turned his attention to Dan, grinning. "Hello to you too!" He laughed, Dan grinning as he tugged Tweek into a tight embrace.

"Hey Tweek." Dan chuckled, the blonde pulling back.

"Are your parents here?" Tweek asked Tricia, the red head nodding.

"They're in the kitchen with Token and Craig!" Tricia explained, sipping at her own drink. Tweek nodded, bidding them goodbye for now before making his way into the kitchen. Laura saw him first, a grin crossing her face.

"Hello handsome." She chuckled, wrapping her arms around Tweek. When he couldn't see her face, she bit her lip, knowing full well that tonight would eventually turn against this poor boy. As she pulled away, the grin returned to her face.

"Hi Laura! Hi Thomas!" He said, shaking Thomas's hand. He yelped as he was tugged into a hug, but he accepted it. Thomas Tucker wasn't usually one for hugs, but he looked at his wife over Tweek's shoulder, a sad smile on his face. It turned happier once he pulled away.

"Good to see you could make it!" Thomas said, clapping his hand on Tweek's shoulder. The blonde hummed, grinning at Token.

"Hey! Thanks for having me." He said, Token opening his arms to welcome Tweek into a hug. As with the other two people who previously hugged him, he looked worried as he made eye contact with the Tucker's over his shoulder, not wanting to see this twenty one year old so sad later when he was so happy now. He smiled as he pulled away, chuckling.

"It's no problem, Tweek! Any friend of the Tucker's is a friend of mine."

"Need I remind you he's my _boyfriend_." Craig said, tugging Tweek to him to press a soft kiss to his lips. As he pulled away, Tweek leaned his back against Craig's chest, the taller man wrapping his arms around Tweek's waist and hooking his chin over his shoulder. Laura chuckled, twirling his cosmopolitan around its glass.

"How was your Christmas, kiddo? By the sound of it, Craig really enjoyed his time with your family."

"Oh it was wonderful! It's just been really nice relaxing instead of having to worry about a million things at once on top of working."

"Are you working over break?" Token asked, sipping at his beer.

"I've worked a few days at my family's coffee shop, but my parents want me to mainly take it easy." Tweek explained, everyone nodding.

"Can I get you a drink?" Laura asked, Tweek blushing a bit.

"Sure! A beer is fine, I still need to drive home later." He chuckled, Laura nodding as she walked over to the fridge, handing him a can of beer once she came back. Tweek thanked her, popping the can open and humming softly as he let himself relax in Craig's embrace. Everyone at that point started wandering, Tweek and Craig plopping down on the couch in the living room.

"You look so sexy." Craig murmured to him in his ear, Tweek blushing as he giggled a bit.

"I wear this outfit all the time."

"But those _boots_." Craig emphasized, Tweek tossing his head back as he laughed. Craig's smile faltered slightly as he saw Tweek laugh like that, his heart twisting painfully in his chest as he watched him. Suddenly, the couch dipped besides Tweek, the blonde yelping but then grinning as he saw it was Clyde.

"Hey!" Tweek said, sipping at his beer. Clyde gave a nod of his head, smiling.

"Good to see you, Tweek," He said, then bit his lip. "Hey, can I talk to Craig real quick?"

"Yeah! I'll go hang with Tricia and Dan." He said, giving Craig's cheek a few kisses before standing and walking over to where Tricia and Dan were. Once Clyde knew he was far enough away, he slid over so he was next to Craig, bringing their faces close together.

"You haven't told him yet."

"I'm waiting until after midnight."

"Craig, do you know how shitty that kind of is?"

"What? Why?" Craig hissed, grabbing a fistful of Clyde's shirt. He felt so sick to his stomach over the situation.

"Because you're gonna kiss the guy and drop the news, aren't you?" Clyde hissed back, Craig grunting.

"Clyde, I appreciate your concern, but I got this, okay?" He whispered, eyes softening a bit. Clyde searched those mismatched eyes for any inclination that Craig was going to tell him soon, but he wasn't. With a sigh, Clyde stood, gulping at his beer before speaking.

"Don't act so surprised if he gets angry."

* * *

It was about fifteen minutes until midnight at this point and Craig thought he was going to throw up. He rushed around the apartment, trying to find one of two blondes he needed to speak to tonight. He saw her from across the room, rushing over.

"Mom!" He called out, Laura turning. She saw the worried look in her son's eyes, a frown crossing her face.

"Come on, let's go to the balcony." She suggested as Craig got to her, her son nodding as he followed her. Once outside, Craig gripped the railing, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt Laura's hand rub up and down his back.

"I-I can't do it."

"Yes you can, Craig. You _have-_ "

"I have to, I know!" He snapped, moving so his mother couldn't touch him. "Everyone keeps telling me I have to, but maybe I don't!"

"What, you're just going to let this go? Not tell this guy that you _love_ , Craig? You're thirty years old, you can't run away from these kind of problems anymore!" Laura said, looking at her son's back. "If you truly love Tweek, Craig, then you know this is the right thing to do. Will it sting like a bitch? _Absolutely_. That's why they call it a crush, handsome…they _hurt_." Laura swallowed hard, glancing back into the party. People were starting to gather for the ball drop, a familiar head of blonde curls sticking out to her. She sighed, looking back at Craig as he spoke.

"That's why this hurts…because _I love him_ more than I've ever loved anyone."

"I know, baby, I know…but it's the right thing to do." She whispered, placing a hand on her son's back. He was so tense under her touch. Sliding her arms around him from behind, Craig eventually turned, wrapping his arms around his mom. Closing his eyes, he let out a shaky breath.

"Do you have a cigarette?"

"I thought you quit?"

"I thought you did too." He teased, Laura chuckling. She knew he'd need one for this situation. Rummaging through her purse, she passed one over to him, flicking the lighter for him. Craig leaned forward, inhaling once the cigarette was in the flame. That burning sensation he missed so much filled his mouth and lungs, the raven haired man exhaling slowly as he looked out over the city of Denver.

"Want me to get him for you?" She whispered, Craig nodding without a word. Laura gave his hand one last squeeze, turning and walking towards the door.

"Hey mom?" Craig said suddenly, turning to look at Laura as he heard the sliding door open. She looked over her shoulder, Craig shooting her a weak smile. "Thanks."

"It's my job, baby boy." She chuckled, shutting the door behind her. Craig laughed softly, inhaling again on the cigarette as he turned to face the city, other hand in his pocket now. As he heard the sliding balcony door open, he closed his eyes as he exhaled, turning after a moment to look at the man walking towards him.

"Hey." Craig breathed out, Tweek smiling a bit.

"I thought you quit."

"You sound like my mother," Craig chuckled. "I did quit, I just needed one."

"Speaking of your mother, she said you needed to talk to me?" Tweek asked, leaning against the balcony railing. Craig let out a shaky breath, nodding. _Here it goes_.

"Yeah, um…I have something I need to tell you." He said slowly, Tweek blinking. _God, don't look at me like that_.

"Is everything okay?" Tweek asked, eyebrows furrowed. Craig opened his mouth to speak, but he heard people counting down from _ten_ inside. Tweek froze, smiling a bit as he heard it too. As they hit _one_ , Craig lurched forward, pressing his lips to Tweek's as he let the cigarette fall from his hand. Grabbing his face in his hands, Craig tried to get himself as close as possible to the blonde in front of him. He couldn't pull away. Craig wanted to be here forever, pressed against Tweek with his lips attached to his. But he couldn't. He knew that. As he pulled away, he swallowed hard. _You're such a fucking dick, Craig._

"I-I'm not coming back next semester." He breathed out, Tweek blinking.

"You…what?"

"I have a friend named Dan." Tweek pointed towards inside.

"Different Dan than Dan in there?"

"Y-Yeah-Yes, different Dan," Craig said, running his hands down his face and then putting them behind his head. "He-We were friends in college. He's a few years older than me and we were in a band together. I left the band after he graduated because I was entering my junior year and really needed to focus on school. He continued on with the band and it _exploded_ in popularity about five years ago. He contacted me earlier this month because they're going on tour and their drummer broke his arm in an accident and he asked me to be their drummer." Craig explained, hating the way Tweek grinned at him.

"Craig-that's-that's _amazing_! That's-oh my god!" He laughed, tossing his arms around Craig. However, he blinked when Craig didn't return the hug, Tweek slowly pulling away. "C-Craig?"

"I don't want you waiting for me." Craig breathed out, swallowing hard. Tweek tensed up, swallowing hard.

"What do you mean by that?" He whispered slowly, trying not to assume anything. Craig turned away, looking out at Denver.

"I'm going to be gone a long time…you're twenty one, you have so much to explore still. I don't want to be traveling the world and knowing I'm tying you down, ya know? I want you to venture off with Wendy, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Butters, Bebe, hell, even Eric! I want you to have fun! I don't want you to have to worry about me while I'm away!" Craig laughed harshly at the end, his chest tightening as he heard Tweek speak.

"…A-Are you breaking up with me?" Tweek squeaked out, Craig already knowing the blonde had tears in his eyes. Craig gripped the railing before he turned to look at Tweek, swallowing hard.

"Y-Yeah…I…I am, kid," He breathed out, the words hurting him. He didn't want to, really, but he didn't have much of a choice. He wouldn't force Tweek into a long distance relationship. He was doing this because he loved Tweek _so much_. He wanted him to be happy, even if that meant Craig leaving him. The blonde's nostrils flared, arms wrapping around himself. "Tweek, I-"

"Don't," He hissed, Craig flinching a bit. "Y-You don't get to be nice right now," Tweek choked out, wiping the tears that fell with the palm of his hand. " _Fuck_ , I'm so stupid!" He let out a bitter laugh, Craig frowning.

"It-It literally has _nothing_ to do with you, kid."

"Don't fucking call me t-that anymore." Tweek sobbed, tangling his fingers into his hair. Craig felt his chest tighten at the sight.

"Tweek, I'm doing this for _you_! You don't deserve to be tied down by me while I'm off in Europe and Asia and god knows where!"

"W-when are you leaving?"

"Middle of January, before the semester starts."

"What about y-your CAT scans, huh? You just-gonna risk getting cancer again?!"

"Olivia said as long as I get checked every now and then while abroad, she's fine with me going." Craig explained, Tweek shaking his head as he smiled a bitter smile.

"We talked about having a _home_ together less than a w-week ago!" Tweek yelled, marching up to Craig. "You-You got me this _fucking necklace_ and you-now you're just _breaking up with me_ in Denver at your _friend's New Year's E-Eve party_! You-You gave me a fucking _New Year's kiss_! Like-as if I _meant_ something t-to you!" Craig grunted as Tweek brought his hand down _hard_ across his face, but he expected it. "Do the p-past four months mean _nothing_ to you?!"

"They mean everything to me, Tweek! That's why I'm doing this! Because I care about you so much!" Craig yelled back, the blonde rolling his eyes.

"Y-You have a funny way of showing you c-care," He scoffed, glaring at the raven haired man. "F-Fuck you, Craig, have fun on your fucking w-world tour or whatever. It was n-nice knowing you. Thanks for _fucking me over_." He hissed, turning and rushing inside. Keeping his head down, Tweek rushed towards the door, ignoring Tricia's voice, ignoring Clyde's voice, ignoring everything. He needed to leave. Now. Everything seemed to slow down for Craig. As he watched his now ex-boyfriend rush through the house, the sounds rang loud in his ears. The tears that had been threatening to spill finally fell as Tweek slammed the door shut, signifying that Tweek was now out of Craig's life. Closing his eyes, he focused on the music, ignoring Tricia as she walked onto the balcony, no doubt wanting to ask him about why the love of his life just ran out of the apartment in tears.

 _Once upon a time_

 _Once when you were mine_

 _I remember skies_

 _Reflected in your eyes_

 _I wonder where you are_

 _I wonder if you think about me_

 _Once upon a time_

 _In your wildest dreams_

* * *

 **NOTE:** Whoops ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:

Your Wildest Dreams-The Moody Blues: watch?v=01lm2CWwsqA


	26. Lesson 26: A Farewell to Kings

It was hard to drive with shaky hands, Tweek discovered, especially when you were as angry as he was. How could Craig do something like this to him?! After everything Tweek has done for him, how could he just toss it all away like it was _nothing_?! Gripping the steering wheel harder, Tweek felt his shoulders start to shake, realizing he needed a distraction as he finished the last half hour of his drive home. Reaching out, he turned the radio on, turning the knob and stopping it on a random station. As he turned the volume up, Tweek tried to focus on the road as the lyrics hit his ears.

 _Slow down, you crazy child_

 _You're so ambitious for a juvenile_

 _But then if you're so smart, then tell me_

 _Why are you still so afraid?_

Tweek's eyes widened slightly as he continued to listen to the song. He's heard it so many times, his father a big Billy Joel fan, but something about it now made his chest hurt.

 _You've got your passion, you've got your pride_

 _But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?_

 _Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true_

 _When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?_

Letting out a frustrated yell, Tweek pulled over on the side of the highway, slamming on his breaks. He tossed the car into park, leaning forward and resting his forehead against his hands on the steering wheel as his anger suddenly turned into sorrow. Sobs wracked his body as he tried to think about anything _but Craig_. He couldn't. He couldn't do it. Craig's stupid face consumed his thoughts as he grabbed his phone, something in his subconscious telling him to check it, but there was nothing. No missed calls, no waiting text messages, nothing from him. He wrapped his arms around himself, rocking back and forth in the driver's seat as he tried to stop the aching feeling in his chest. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was almost one am, his heart twisting as he realized he should be _dancing_. He should be dancing with Craig and laughing with him and kissing him, not sitting in his car covered in tears and snot as he felt like he was going to vomit from heartbreak. Wiping his nose on his sleeve, he sniffled before putting the car into drive, humming along shakily to the rest of the song as he drove home, knowing he needed to get to his mother and father. They'd hold him. They'd make him feel better. They always did.

The last bit of the drive home was a blur to Tweek, his mind on autopilot as he navigated the near empty streets. As he turned into his driveway, he was thankful when he saw that the light in his parent's room was still on. Rushing to the door, he fumbled to put his key in the lock, his shaking hands and tear filled eyes betraying him. Finally, after a minute of trying, he shoved the door open, locking it behind him as he tossed his jacket down and kicked his shoes off. Tweek practically ran up the steps, sobs already escaping his lips as he covered his mouth, pushing his parents door open. They both jumped, clearly both half asleep as they watched the New Year's celebrations on TV.

"Tweek?" Richard asked, suddenly awake as he heard how _violently_ his son was sobbing. Without a word, Tweek crawled up the length of his parent's bed, getting under the covers between him. He buried his face in his mom's neck, the feeling of his dad's chest against his back and his mom's chest against his comforting. He needed this.

"Sweetheart, _breathe_." Mary cooed, looking at her husband over top Tweek's head with worried eyes as she stroked his hair.

"H-He broke u-up with me." Tweek gasped out, Richard frowning at his wife.

"He…he did what?"

"He-he _fucking d-dumped me!_ " Tweek practically shouted, Mary grabbing his jaw as he started squirming.

"Hey-hey, shhh, Tweek, look at me." She pleaded, knowing how worked up her son was getting.

"He-He's _leaving_."

"What do you mean?" Richard asked, hand rubbing up and down Tweek's arm to make sure he didn't scratch at himself.

"He-his friend h-has a band," Tweek paused to hiccup, his shoulder's shaking. "And-and he-their d-drummer got hurt-he called C-Craig and-and now he's l-leaving and th-that's why he-he dumped _me_." Tweek managed to get all of that out between sobs, Mary's thumbs wiping the tears that fell down his cheeks.

"Tweek, sweetheart, I know this hurts. This is the worst kind of pain I think there is, but you have to realize Craig has his reasons. You said he's leaving, correct?" Tweek nodded slowly. "What did he say when he told you the news?"

"He-He doesn't w-want to hold me back…keep m-me waiting." Tweek murmured, closing his eyes as he leaned his head down to rest against his mom's shoulder.

"Tweek, he isn't breaking up with you because he _doesn't_ love you anymore…he's doing it _because_ he loves you." Richard chimed in, Tweek tensing up.

"N-No. That-That's stupid!" Tweek cried out, Mary smiling sadly.

"Tweek, you're nine years younger than him. He's leaving for…how long?" Mary asked.

"A year…"

"That's a long time for you to be sitting around waiting on someone." She said, Tweek swallowing hard.

"M-Maybe I want to wait for h-him. He didn't _ask me_."

"Because Craig's a smart man and knew you'd say that." Richard chuckled, Tweek looking back at his dad.

"W-What do you mean?"

"He knew you'd say you would wait, but you said Craig doesn't want that for you. And, as your father, I don't want you doing that either, Tweek. I really like Craig. Sure, he made you cry like this, but his intentions were good, not malicious." Richard said, smiling sadly. Tweek rolled onto his back, sniffling as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"It-that doesn't mean it doesn't _hurt_ a-any less…" Tweek whispered, Mary sighing as she looked at her son.

"I know, sweetheart…"

* * *

Craig was miserable. When Tricia came out on the deck after Tweek ran out, Craig found he didn't have the words to explain himself to her. She had yelled at him to talk to her, but he couldn't. Laura grabbed her as she followed him to Token's bedroom, their mother trying to explain to her that Craig needed some time, because he did. Once he was alone, Craig ignored the few tears that fell, closing his eyes as he laid down on Token's bed. He needed to be alone. He didn't want to be, really. Craig should be dancing, laughing, kissing Tweek. Instead, he had to pull the band-aid off tonight, and he felt like the biggest _asshole_ ever. After almost a half an hour of lying in the same spot, a soft knock echoed through the room, the music from the living room growing loud as Clyde entered the room. The music quickly returned to its muffled state as the door shut, Craig slowly turning his head to look at Clyde.

"I figured you might need to talk to someone by now." Clyde murmured, passing a rum and coke over to Craig as he sat up. Taking a sip, Craig grimaced, coughing a bit.

"How much fucking rum did you put in here?" He coughed, smelling the drink.

"A lot. You need it tonight," Clyde chuckled, Craig's lips twitching upward slightly as he took another sip. "I'm proud of you."

"I'm not," Craig murmured, resting the glass on his knee. "I fucking _hurt him_."

"It's not like you meant to, Craig. You didn't want this to happen, it just did."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck any less, Clyde."

"I know, man." Clyde sighed, sipping at his own drink. Craig fell silent, closing his eyes eventually.

"His parents probably despise me now."

"From the sounds of it, they seem like reasonable people. Maybe once Tweek explained the situation, they saw it from your viewpoint." Clyde suggested, Craig shrugging.

"Maybe…I don't know, Tweek was really… _angry_. When he gets angry, it can quickly switch to tears."

"Did…you two fight often?"

"We never really fought. Sure, we'd have disagreements from time to time, but he often would get angry at school or something at work, but once he was done his ranting, he'd quickly break down…I just…hope he made it home okay…" Craig murmured, downing another drink from his glass. It burnt like hell, but it helped him ignore the tightness in the left side of his chest.

"I saw Tricia yelling at you…"

"Yeah…I didn't tell her anything…I just…I-I was at a loss for words…I know she adored Tweek…"

"I think your mom explained everything to her. They were talking for a while after you came in here." Clyde explained, Craig nodding slowly as he ran a hand through his hair. It was getting longer and longer each week, something Craig was proud of. Taking a long sip of his drink, he shivered as he lowered the glass, clearing his throat as it continued to burn. His head was starting to spin a bit from the alcohol.

"You put a lot of rum in here." He murmured, words slurring slightly. Craig had already drank some before midnight, now mixing in the plethora of rum that Clyde poured him with this rum and coke. He was more than likely going to wake up hungover, seeing as he was planning on drinking some more.

"Like I said, Craig, you need it tonight."

They had spent a little longer talking in Token's room, the both of them eventually walking out to join everyone who was left. Craig, on the other hand, stumbled out, his eyes half lidded as he made his way to the kitchen, fumbling to pour himself some more rum and coke. As he opened the fridge, he heard a voice behind him.

"You look like an ass." Tricia said, sitting herself up on the island countertop. Everyone else (which was now just family and the guys) were out in the living room talking or watching the celebrations on TV. Craig glared at her the best he could over his shoulder, pouring some coke into his glass.

"You look like an _ass_." Craig slurred, sipping at his drink.

"Let's look at the facts: you dumped your boyfriend _after kissing him_ on New Year's. You did this while he as an _hour_ away from home, so there's a chance he isn't even home yet because he's _crying_ on the side of the road somewhere. You're _drunk off your ass_ as if you're torn up over this entire thing."

"You don't-you don't _think_ I'm _upset?!_ " Craig hissed, hiccupping afterwards as he set his glass down. "Tricia, I'm _heartbroken_ over the s'fact I had to _let 'im go_!" He slurred, Tricia rolling her eyes.

"You seem real distraught, Craig. You can barely talk."

"'m distracting s'm'self! I have this-this _pain_ in m' chest that sh'won't _go away_!" He choked out, throat suddenly tightening the more he talked. "It- _fuck_ -it won't _go away!"_ Tricia blinked, watching her brother break down so easily. He was the strongest person she knew besides her father and her husband, so seeing him wrap his arms around himself as he started sobbing really got to her.

"Hey…Craig-Craig, c'mere," She breathed out, swallowing hard as he stumbled across the kitchen to her, falling into her open arms. Even while sitting on the countertop, Craig was still taller than her, but the way he hid his face in her shoulder made him look so small. "You…you really did love this kid, didn't you?"

"M-More than _anyone_." Craig admitted, Tricia biting her lip as she rubbed his back. She didn't want to push him anymore, knowing now the full extent of the inner turmoil her brother was currently facing. She held him for a little while longer until he fell silent, Tricia pulling away to look at him.

"Come on, we need to get you something to eat."

* * *

Mary knew her son was miserable. For starters, he was up before her, which meant that he didn't get much sleep, if any, last night. He must've gone to the store already because he was eating a pint of ice cream and had other assorted comfort foods on the coffee table as he watched 'Sixteen Candles', which is his go to feel good movie. He was sniffling as he ate, a blanket draped over his shoulders as he stared at the screen. After getting her coffee, Mary came out and sat down next to her son.

"Morning, sweetie." She whispered, Tweek glancing over at her. His eyes were so puffy from crying, the sight making her chest hurt.

"H-hey mom." He murmured, sniffling as he took another bite of his ice cream.

"Any plans today?"

"This."

"Have you talked to Wendy about any of this?" Mary asked, Tweek shaking his head.

"Nope. Don't w-wanna." He said, taking a large spoonful of ice cream. Mary sighed softly, sipping at her coffee.

"You're going to have to tell your roommates eventually."

"Not now…" He sighed, fingers grabbing the pendant around his neck. Yeah, he should take it off, but he couldn't bring himself to, considering Craig was the one who put it around his neck. Mary saw the notion, biting her lip as she watched him.

"Can I get you anything, sweetheart?" She asked, pushing the hair off his forehead as she gently took the ice cream from him.

"Coffee…please?"

"I'll be right back." She kissed his forehead, Tweek curling up under the blanket after she left and focused on the TV. His eyes eventually gravitated towards his phone, picking it up slowly and unlocking it. Going to his photos, he started looking through them, fingers shaking as he flipped through each memory. _Delete them. You can't have these on here anymore_. His thumb clicked the little trashcan icon, the option coming up to delete the image or to cancel. As he was about to delete the image, one of Craig kissing and grinning against his cheek as he laughed, Tweek hit cancel, hugging the phone to his chest as he let out a sob. _You can't let these memories go away. It hurts now, but it was good then_. Mary frowned as she walked over, setting the coffee cup on the table as she sat beside her son.

"What's wrong, baby?" She asked, Tweek moving so he could lie his head in her lap.

"I-It hurts _so m-much_." He sobbed, fingers still moving through the photos. Tweek couldn't stop, tears falling down his cheeks as each photo flew past. Mary took his phone from his hands, Tweek gasping as she turned the screen to face her. He hid his face from her, his pale cheeks no doubt a bright red. It was a photo that Tweek had taken clearly after they had had sex, Craig grinning at him as he flipped him off, face half in a pillow. It was earlier in their relationship, probably only a few weeks after they had first started fooling around. Mary noticed however, that Craig wasn't looking at the camera, but slightly over it, meaning he was looking at her son with those adoring eyes.

"He thinks the world of you."

" _T-thought_ the world of me."

"No, Tweek," She showed the picture, smiling sadly. "He's looking at you, not at the camera. He's doing this because he knows that this is what's _best_ for you. I'm sure, by the look in his eyes here in this picture, that he is hurting just as much as you right now." Tweek grabbed the phone back, teary eyes wide as he looked at the image. Suddenly, Tweek felt somewhat _guilty_ for the last words he said to Craig, continuing to flip through the images. In each image, Craig was looking at him or slightly over the camera towards him, never at the camera. Tweek sat up slowly, lip quivering.

"I…I-I said such m-mean things to him." He whispered, looking at his mom.

"I think he understands, sweetie. He was probably expecting it." She said softly, Tweek swallowing hard.

"I… _fuck_."

"What's wrong?"

"I-I just…feel bad for what I said…"

"Tweek, it's okay to be angry at someone when they break up with you out of the blue like that. I think he forgives you. Don't overthink, okay?" Mary whispered, kissing his forehead before standing. "I need to go sort the laundry, so just relax and I'll sit with you in a bit." As soon as she was gone, Tweek resisted the urge to call Craig and apologize. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction in knowing he felt guilty for what he said…at least not yet. He couldn't even bring himself to type the message out or the call and find the right words. Tweek was heartbroken after all, and he spent the rest of the movie wondering if Craig really was feeling the same way.

* * *

It had been a few weeks and Craig was sitting in the airport leaning against his suitcase. He had said his goodbyes to Clyde, Jimmy, and Token a few days ago and to his family last night. However, there was a particular face that kept appearing behind his eyes as he tried to rest them before the boarded.

"You alright, man?" Craig jolted upright as he heard a familiar voice, running his hands down his face as Dan sat down next to him.

"'m fine."

"That's a lie."

"It's just-look, it's-it's early, can I talk to you about it later?" Craig asked, Dan searching his face for a sign of emotion.

"Is it about that guy you were seeing?" Dan asked, Craig wincing slightly. "It is."

"Yeah…"

"What about it?"

"I just…the way he looked at me as if I was the worst person ever…it's been sticking with me…" Craig sighed, running his hands down his face. Dan hummed, sipping at his coffee.

"I don't think he really thinks that, Big Cat." Craig smirked a bit at the old nickname, eyes closing as he leaned his head on back down on his suitcase.

"I hope you're right, Danny." They fell silent for a bit, eventually having to stand to board their flight to head to Europe. As they got on the flight, Craig put his headphones on to drown out the sounds around him. He turned his attention outside the window, trying to get that beautiful face he'd miss so much out of his mind. Craig Tucker, for now, was going to be living out a life-long dream of being in a successful band, but as the plane took off, a small part of him still felt incredibly guilty for how he treated a certain blonde. He knew it was the best thing to do, but that doesn't mean he didn't feel horrible for making him cry. Even though Craig didn't see him cry, he knew he did, because Craig did, too.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Sorry for the delay in chapter updates lately! My back has been bothering me, I've been working more, and my brother graduated yesterday and my cousin graduates today! Next chapter will be a time skip, so get ready for that! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Song:

Vienna-Billy Joel


	27. Lesson 27: Reconvening

Tweek wasn't sure how he managed to get back on his feet, but he eventually did. Upon his return to school after break, he knew he had to tell Stan, Kyle, and Wendy. When he did, Tweek was surprised he had no more tears to shed over the situation, even though it had only been a few weeks since Craig broke up with him at that point. It got bad around Valentine's Day, Tweek having a break down early in the morning when he woke up and realized he'd be alone once more on the romantic holiday. He hooked up with a random guy he found on Tinder that night, but found it wasn't the same. It would never be the same he realized. A few more months passed and Tweek discovered he couldn't do random hook ups anymore. After his third random hook up in a month, he knew he needed to try dating again, because he missed that romantic connection he had with Craig. He ended up dating this guy named Ian for about a month and a half near the end of the semester, but Ian broke it off when he admitted he just didn't find himself as attracted to the blonde anymore. That broke Tweek, and he decided he was done dating for the summer, possibly forever. Two boyfriends and they both dumped him in under a two month time span.

He spent the summer working at his parent's coffee shop, as per usual, but when he wasn't there, he was at the gym. Tweek took up boxing again not long after the spring semester started up, wanting to try and get himself back into shape. Wendy called it his "revenge body", but Tweek wasn't sure when or if he'd see Craig again. Part of him hoped he would so he could actually call it a "revenge body". He did it more as a distraction. After Ian broke up with him, he started having intense self-destructive thoughts again, so he wanted to take his anger and sorrow and put it somewhere else. Tweek was even able to get Stan to come with him at times during the semester, bringing the both of them closer together. At the start of the fall semester, he quit his job at the coffee shop right before the one year mark of the day him and Craig met. It was painful working there in the spring, but Tweek made a promise to himself that he'd finish out the year there, no matter what. He found a job at the library, being paid minimum wage to shelve books. He didn't mind it, really, often listening to music while he did, which was a nice way to spend his time.

Now, it was about half way through the spring semester and Tweek and everyone else were just a few months shy of graduation. It was a few weeks before Kenny's birthday, and he had requested that everyone joined him at a concert for a band he really liked. Upon further investigation, they discovered tickets were relatively cheap, so they all decided why the hell not, and got a ticket. Tweek had never heard of the band, but considering _sex_ was in the band's name, Tweek understood why Kenny wanted to see them. They were currently waiting to get in, the line slowly moving forward as people entered the venue.

"How did you even discover this band?" Kyle asked, looking at the ticket in his hand.

"Accidentally stumbled upon them." Kenny said, shrugging.

"What kind of music do they even play?" Wendy said, holding onto Stan's hand as she glanced back at Kenny.

"Comedy and cover songs really. I kind of have a slight crush on the singer." Kenny admitted, a grin on his face as he wrapped his arm around Butters. The two had become an item over the course of the fall semester and made it officially right before break.

"Do-Do I have anything to worry about, Ken?" Butters asked, a small smile on his face. Kenny grinned, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek as they approached security.

"Not a thing, Leo."

Once inside, Tweek looked around, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He hasn't really thought about Craig, but something about seeing a band live and in person made him think of his ex. Okay, Tweek will admit it, he _did_ stalk his Instagram at times, and it made his heart hurt that he looked even better than he did when he left. Craig had gained back a lot of the weight he lost from chemotherapy, that weight obviously being replaced with muscle. His hair was long again, shaggier than the last time he saw it long. Craig seemed to wear it so it was pushed up out of his face, long strands often falling in his face. The fucker even had the _audacity_ to have a consistant scruff, which made Tweek weak at the knees (though he never told anyone). There were pictures of him sweaty at his drum set, pictures of him and someone from the band (he never saw his face really in the pictures, but he assumed he was in the band with Craig), pictures of him in beautiful places all over the world. As much as it hurt to see his ex so happy without him, Craig deserved this, especially after the entire cancer ordeal.

"You alright?" Tweek snapped back into reality as he heard Stan speak, the blonde blushing a bit.

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah." He breathed out, a small smile on his face as they started pushing their way up closer to the front.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Stan chuckled, Tweek blushing a darker red.

"I…yeah…it's just hard not to since this is the life he's living now it seems."

"Don't let him ruin tonight. Tonight should be fun, ya know?" Stan said, wrapping an arm around Tweek's shoulders. The blonde let out a soft laugh, nodding in agreement as they made their way about six rows from the front. How they managed to weasel their way up there, Tweek wasn't sure, but he was starting to feel excited for the show. However, a conversation between two girls nearby piqued his interest.

"I hope they do their cover of _You Spin Me Round_!"

"I heard that the drummer takes his mask off during that song and _keeps it off_ for the remainder of the concert!"

"I heard they got a new drummer for this tour and _he's hot_!"

"That means _two pieces_ of eye candy!" Tweek couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach as he eavesdropped on the conversation, his stomach lurching slightly. _No. It's probably just a coincidence that this band also has a new drummer for their tour. Things happen all the time!_ He ignored the feeling in his stomach as he tried to distract himself, deciding to join the conversation his friends were having until the lights went out. Tweek knew it was only the opener, but the joy Kenny had when these men came on stage would've fooled him. They were good, their eighties style music, masks, and spandex somewhat enjoyable to him. He couldn't stop his eyes from wandering over towards the drummer, his arms gracefully moving between each drum accordingly as if he's done this a thousand times. _It can't be Craig. There's no tell-tale signs, anyways_. The guy was wearing all black for Christ's sake and had on a fucking robot mask with glowing red eyes. It was a sick outfit for a concert, but there was no way it was Craig. However, when the lights went out for the main act to come on, Tweek had an odd suspicion that those red eyes were staring right at him through the darkness.

* * *

Okay, so Tweek was kind of in love with the singer. His long curly hair, tight glittering spandex, flowing cape, and angelic voice made his heart flutter. He also enjoyed his energy, long legs bounding him across the stage. Tweek found himself next to Kenny, jumping around with him as he let himself get lost in the music. As they finished a song, the entire crowd cheered as usual, Tweek included. The singer (who was named Danny) grinned from ear to ear, a laugh echoing through the venue.

"Okay, so this next song is one of my favorites. It's just…ya know, it was my favorite to record on the cover album and it's just-it's just a fun song! Everyone here loves playing it, I love singing it, doing _other things_ to it," Tweek rolled his eyes at the screaming girls, but he wouldn't lie and say his heart didn't flip a bit. "It's a favorite from my childhood and I think you'll all enjoy it, too, so here's _You Spin Me Round_." When Tweek heard those words, he felt his chest tighten as his eyes suddenly darted to the drummer, a sigh escaping his lips as he only pushed the sleeves of his shirt up. However, something caught Tweek's eye as he started playing the opening notes: the sunflower tattoo on his left forearm. The music sounded distant to Tweek as his mind started reeling, thinking back to one particular memory from the December he was with Craig.

" _Do you think you'd ever get a tattoo that reminds you of Tweek?"_

" _Oh, uh, I don't know…maybe a sunflower."_

" _Why sunflowers? And would you get it in the style of Van Gogh's sunflowers?"_

" _Maybe. I don't know! I just-he looks like a sunflower, don'tcha think so?"_

As Tweek put the puzzle pieces together in his mind, his eyes widened slowly as Danny went behind the drummer after he finished singing the first chorus, ripping his mask off. The screams of the crowd were distant as he felt the eyes of his friends burn into him, that tingling sensation behind his eyes overwhelming him as he stared _Craig_ down. He couldn't believe it. It was _actually Craig_ , and Tweek wasn't sure if he wanted to vomit or cry. Probably both. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Tweek snapped back to reality, everything suddenly too loud as he turned his head to look at Kenny.

"I- _fuck_ -Tweek I didn't-"

"I-It's okay!" Tweek yelled over the music, shooting him a weak smile. It wasn't Kenny's fault. None of them knew. How could they know? As the song ended, Tweek found himself frozen, Danny grinning once more as he caught his breath from his energetic performance.

"Look at my tasty drummer! Isn't he a treat?!" He laughed, Tweek grimacing at the girls screaming, particularly the girls he eavesdropped on earlier. Turning his attention back to the stage, he swallowed hard as Craig pushed his hair out of his face, a big grin on his face as he laughed. "This is, unfortunately, Craig's last performance with us tonight! Yeah, it's also our last stop on our tour, but next time we tour, he won't be with us! So soak it in, gentlemen! I say gentlemen because _that_ is the drummer's _preference_." Tweek rolled his eyes, jaw clenched as he turned his back to the stage, locking eyes with Wendy. She frowned, grabbing his hand and tugging him closer so she could talk into his ear.

"Do you need to leave?"

"If I leave there's no chance I'm getting back up here. It's a three thousand person venue and it's sold out." Tweek grumbled back. He was now forced to watch his ex-boyfriend for another half hour or so, looking like he was having the time of his life up there as they performed song after song. Finally, Tweek turned back to Wendy after a little while when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"You look like you're about to explode."

"Well, it isn't ideal to watch my ex look like he's having a _fucking ball_ without me." The blonde tensed a bit as he heard Danny speak.

"I'm gonna let Craig here explain this next song, which is our second to last song, because it's one that has a special, yet sad, place in his heart." Tweek slowly turned to watch Danny pass the microphone off the Craig, his heart twisting as he heard him speak.

"I'll keep this brief, but to put it simply, I left a life I really enjoyed to do this gig for a little over a year. I'm grateful to Danny and everyone for letting me join them, but I also left _someone_ that meant the world to me," Everything felt like it disappeared around Tweek as he stood there, teary green eyes staring down his ex-boyfriend as he spoke. "On New Year's Eve a year ago, I broke up with my boyfriend at the time because he was nine years younger than me. I was getting ready to leave and I didn't want him waiting for me while I went on this grand adventure. He needed to live his life without me, not wait for me to return or wait for the call that might never come that day. It hurt like a bitch, because I really, really loved him…and I _still_ love him," The audience made some sort of noise, but Tweek heard none of it. Craig held up his left arm, showing off the sunflowers on his forearm. "They say to never get a tattoo for a significant other, but I got these sunflowers because I always wanted to be reminded of him. That one day, I will hopefully see him again, because he was the best thing to ever happen to me, despite the circumstances our relationship started under." Tweek let out a bitter laugh, turning to Wendy.

"I-I'm leaving, I'm sorry." He choked out, but she understood. Pushing his way through the crowd, Tweek tensed as Craig spoke once more, but continued moving.

"This next song is the song that played as he ran out of my friend's New Year's Eve party. It feels cathartic in a way playing it for you all…so…Tweek, if you're out there, know I never stopped thinking about you, kid." As the drums hit his ears, Tweek stopped making his way through the crowd, whipping his head around as he stared at Craig. The tears openly fell as Danny started singing.

" _Once upon a time_

 _Once when you were mine_

 _I remember skies_

 _Reflected in your eyes_

 _I wonder where you are_

 _I wonder if you think about me_

 _Once upon a time_

 _In your wildest dreams"_

Covering his mouth with his hand, Tweek started pushing his way forward, his mind on autopilot. Somehow, he managed to get himself forward. Part of his mind thinks people were letting him through, his tear streaked face giving away the fact that this song was _about him_. Tweek even managed to push further into the crowd from where his friends were, gripping onto the barricade as he openly sobbed at this point, staring up at Danny. As the song started to come to a close, Danny looked down, his eyes widening slightly as he made eye contact with the blonde, whipping his head around after he sang his last bit of the song. Craig saw his wide eyes, brows furrowing slightly as he followed the path of his head nod. Suddenly, after playing the last note he needed to, Craig felt his chest tighten, a weak smile crossing his face as he saw the crying blonde in the front row. After playing this song in countless cities around the world, he finally played it at the right one, and despite being back in his home state, Craig Tucker hasn't really felt like he was really home. That is, until now.

* * *

After the concert, they all decided to go to a bar, Tweek obviously shaken up about the entire unexpected reunion of him and his ex.

"Tweek, dude, I'm _so sorry_ I legit had _no idea_ that Craig was the drummer!" Kenny said for the sixth time that night, the blonde letting out a soft sigh.

"I know-I know, Kenny. It's okay. Really, it's fine. I was bound to run into him eventually."

"Yeah, but Tweek, you have to admit, that was a pretty unconventional circumstance." Kyle chuckled, Tweek letting out a grunt as he took a few long gulps of his margarita.

"I'm aware, Kyle, thanks." Tweek grumbled, dropping his head to his hands. The table suddenly fell silent, Tweek blinking into the comforting darkness his hands brought him before lifting his head. Tensing, he pursed his lips as he saw Danny, Craig, and who he assumed was the rest of the band walking in. Bebe and Wendy each put a hand on Tweek's back, the man thankful for the touch of his friends. He knew Craig saw them. It was hard to miss them in this bar. They were the youngest crowd there, so they all stuck out like a sore thumb. Eventually, Danny and Craig made their way over to the table, Tweek suddenly feeling intimidated. Craig looked just like he did in his Instagram photos, with his longer hair, scruffy face, and broader shoulders, it made Tweek feel _small_ despite being around the same height as Danny, who was also beautiful up close. Kenny gasped sharply, a hand covering as mouth as he, for once, was at a loss for words. Tweek watched as Craig's tongue darted out across his lips, a small smile quirking at his lips.

"Hey, kid," He breathed out, Tweek's nostrils flaring as he shoved himself off his stool, making his way towards the door. Cursing under his breath, Craig rushed after him, Kenny left grinning and gawking at Danny. Once outside, Tweek wasn't sure where he was going. They walked here, he had no car to go to, but he couldn't stay there. "Will you fucking wait?!" Craig called out, Tweek stopping suddenly. Turning on his heel, he waited for Craig to walk up to him before reaching his hand out, striking it quickly across Craig's face.

" _How dare you_." He growled, hating _how fucking beautiful_ Craig looked as he stared at him through the fallen strands of hair, clutching his cheek.

"I deserved that."

"You _broke_ my _heart_." Tweek breathed out, having rehearsed what he wanted to say to Craig if he ever saw him again _so many times_. However, he forget his lines, everything going out the window as he was finally face to face with him.

"I know I did, kid, and _I'm so sorry_."

"What, do you want me to forgive you? Forgive you for how you just-just _dumped me aside_ as if I was nothing?!" Tweek yelled, ignoring the few heads that turned. There weren't many people in the lot, so he didn't care.

"I told you, I did it _because_ I love you!"

"And you tell a venue of _three thousand people_ our story?!" Tweek barked, Craig pushing the hair off his forehead.

"I've told our story _all over the world_ , kid!" Craig shouted back, the blonde suddenly stopping at those words. His eyes widened, jaw tightening as he stared at Craig.

"You…you did _what_?" Tweek whispered, Craig sighing as he looked over his shoulder.

"Can…look, can I buy you a drink and we can sit down and talk this out?"

* * *

Tweek only did it for the free booze. At least that's what he was telling himself as he sat shoulder to shoulder with Craig at the bar. Ignoring the looks of his friends from across the way, he focused on Craig's words as he finally spoke, both sitting in silence for a while as they sipped at their drinks.

"I told that story at every venue. I, _fuck_ , we originally added the song after I told Danny the story of our breakup. He could tell it was eating away at me, so I eventually broke and told him every _painful_ detail of that night, including the song. He thought if we played it, it would be cathartic for me in a way…and it was. Not at first, but eventually." Craig explained, taking a long gulp of his rum and coke. _Some things never change_. Tweek stirred the straw of his Long Island Iced Tea around, biting his bottom lip.

"Why'd you get the tattoo?" He breathed out, eyes darting down to the sunflowers on his forearm. Craig hummed, right hand landing on top of the tattoo. Tweek watched his thumb run over them thoughtfully.

"We were in Paris. It was about a little over a month into the tour. This guy was known for his flower tattoos, so, on a whim on night after our show there, I went and got the sunflowers in Van Gogh's style…like we talked about. Look, I'll admit, I was a little drunk," Tweek tried to hide the small smile that crossed his face. "So I didn't think much about it at first. When I woke up the next day…I…had a bit of a break down. I wasn't mad I got the tattoo, but it reminded me of-"

"When you woke up from your surgery…" Tweek finished, a knowing smile on his face as he stared at his drink. Craig's lips twitch upwards slightly as he stared at his own drink, a chuckle rumbling through his chest.

"Yeah…that." Both men lifted their drinks up, Tweek taking a long drink through his straw while Craig finished his glass of rum and coke. They fell silent for a moment, Tweek worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

"I dated a guy."

"What was his name?"

"Ian."

"He sounds like a dork." Tweek snorted at Craig's words, closing his eyes.

"He was a baseball player."

"God dammit, how am I to compete with that?" Craig teased, Tweek hating the fact he actually let out a soft laugh. He wasn't supposed to be falling into this all too familiar routine with Craig so easily. But…something about the man…he made it _so_ easy.

"He was a total dick when he dumped me, worse than you, so don't worry."

"So I'm _not_ the biggest dick?"

"Well, metaphorically speaking, no, you're not the biggest dick. Literally speaking, yes, you _have_ the biggest dick." Tweek blushed a bit as he said that, not knowing where this sudden burst of confidence came (probably the alcohol), but he liked the way Craig coughed on his refilled drink, a grin crawling across the blonde's face.

" _Fuck_!" Craig coughed, Tweek laughing as he patted his back gently. He shouldn't be doing this. This could easily end in heartbreak again. But…who's to say he can't have a one night stand with an ex? They fell silent for a moment, Tweek's hand resting on Craig's back as they finally stared at each other. Tweek forgot how _beautiful_ those mix matched eyes were, a blush creeping up his neck as he watched them move up and down his face and body. "You look good, kid." Craig murmured, shifting closer to the blonde. Tweek hummed a bit, hand traveling down his back slowly.

"You too, Craig." He whispered, moving closer himself. Tweek missed Craig so much that it hurt, it _literally hurt_. There were some nights he wore that old tattered NASA sweatshirt just to imagine it was Craig surrounding him, and, if he was being honest, it brought a silent sense of comfort to Tweek on those nights.

"No, I _really mean_ it, Tweek. You look… _amazing_." Craig breathed out, the scent of rum overwhelming to Tweek. His head was starting to spin as he moved himself even closer to Craig, the alcohol starting to take its toll on him. It didn't even register within him that they were dangerously close to each other's faces.

"As do you." Tweek breathed out, sliding off the stool to lean up on his toes and close the distance between them. As their lips met, Tweek felt like the stars in his life were realigning, that the cosmic order was returning to normal. It just felt, to put it simply, _right_. The scruff was definitely new, along with the hair length and style, but it was all so _exciting_ to Tweek. However, it still felt like he was reconnecting himself to an old friend, or, in this case, an old boyfriend. An old _professor_ of his. As they pulled away with a soft smack of their lips, Tweek realized he was gripping the front of Craig's shirt with both his fists, his knuckles white from how hard he was holding the fabric. He didn't let go, too afraid that if he did, Craig would leave him already. The taller man leaned down, lips by his ear as his right hand slid across his lower back to tug him closer. A soft whimper escaped Tweek's lips as their hips touched (when did Craig stand up?), his eyes fluttering shut as Craig spoke.

"…Do you want to come back to my place, kid?"

* * *

 **NOTE:** Look, I told you there was a method to my madness.

Only a few more chapters, lovelies.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!

Songs:

You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)-Ninja Sex Party version

Your Wildest Dreams-Ninja Sex Party version


	28. Lesson 28: Somewhere Only We Know

They took an Uber back to Craig's apartment, a place Tweek as longed to return to. He's never told anyone that, it was his little secret. Tweek realized on the ride home he had _a lot_ of secrets he kept from his friends and family that involved Craig. Lost in his thoughts, the blonde barely registered that they had arrived at the apartment complex, Tweek's stomach doing a small flip as he saw it. _It's been a while_. As they approached the building, Craig taking the lead, Tweek stole a glance down at his phone. _12:24 am_. He would definitely have to spend the night…that is, if Craig would let him. _He'd let me…right?_ Craig input his code, a code he has often reminisced on, and held the door open for Tweek as the blonde walked past him. Craig hasn't even been back to his apartment yet, most of his things still on the tour bus. Danny and him had texted a bit during the Uber ride, his friend saying he'd drop it off in the morning, which Craig was grateful for. Tweek pressed the elevator button, rocking on his heels as he glanced over at Craig. His mind was still spinning and fuzzy from the alcohol, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Have you been back at your apartment yet?" He asked, Craig humming as the soft _ding_ of the elevators welcomed him home.

"No, not yet. I'm happy to finally be home." Craig said, both stepping onto the elevator. Tweek nodded his head, eyes darting between the closing door and Craig. As soon as the elevator lurched upward, Craig lurched forward, pressing his lips _hard_ against Tweek's as he pushed him gently against the wall of the elevator. _This_ is what Tweek has been waiting for. His fingers instinctively reached for Craig's hair, fingers running through the beautiful locks he's missed so much. Craig's hair wasn't very long the last time he saw him, still growing back from his chemo, so this… _this_ was quite the treat. And the addition to the scruff was _really_ driving Tweek up a wall. _Wait_. He was _literally_ being driven up the wall, Craig hitching his legs around his waist.

"Jesus," Tweek breathed out between kisses, Craig's lips spreading into a smile against his. As the elevator _dinged_ once more to signal that they had reached Craig's floor, the blonde blinked as his back left the wall, pulling away as he realized he was being _carried_ to Craig's apartment. "Are-are you _carrying me_?" He slurred, head spinning even more than before from the intoxicating kisses Craig gave him.

"Is that a problem?"

"Nope-no, not at all just…surprising."

"What, do you think I'm _weak_?" Craig asked, Tweek biting his lip to stop himself from grinning.

"Yes." Tweek giggled, Craig gasping sharply as he grabbed his spare key out of the little box, Tweek laughing at his point.

"I _carry you_ down the hall, and _this_ is the _respect_ I get?!" Craig said through his own laughter, practically kicking the door open after unlocking it. It was clean, which was surprising to both men, Craig realizing his mother must have visited recently to tidy the place.

"Do you have a ghost?" Tweek asked, Craig snorting as he tossed the spare key onto the counter, immediately heading towards the bedroom.

"Why do you say that?"

"You have a ghost that cleans your apartment." Tweek said through soft giggles, Craig letting out a huff of laughter as he opened his bedroom door.

"It was _my mother_."

"Laura?!" Tweek gasped, a grin on his face as he finally pulled back to look at Craig. He let out a yelp as Craig let him drop onto the bed, the mattress offering a small bounce as it broke his fall.

"Yes, her," Craig chuckled, falling forward until his hands were on either side of Tweek. "She misses you."

"She does?" Tweek asked, suddenly taken off guard.

"Tricia does as well. My entire family does."

"Why?"

"They _adored_ you, kid. They thought you were the best thing since tortilla chips." Craig said, Tweek snickering a bit.

"That's not the saying."

"I made it up, it's fine." Craig said, a grin crawling across his face as he nudged a knee between Tweek's legs, both men moving up onto the bed more in unison.

"It is not _fine_!" Tweek continued, a grin on his face as well.

"Would you rather discuss this or make out with me?" Craig asked, eyebrow raised. Tweek puckered his lips, Craig leaning forward but yelping when Tweek pushed him back.

"I'm _thinking_!"

"Who puckers their lips when they think?!"

"Clyde!" Tweek laughed, Craig snorting as he remembered that Clyde, in fact, did that. Craig rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh as Tweek sat there with puckered lips, the blonde clearly in thought. "I've made a decision."

"Yippie."

"I wanna make out."

" _Thank god_." Craig said, leaning forward once more and pressing his lips against Tweek's. The blonde giggled a bit, arms wrapping around Craig's neck as he let his fingers tangle into his hair again. The playful banter quickly melted into a heated kiss, Tweek's lips parting to invite Craig's tongue into his mouth. He tasted of rum, something Tweek steered clear of the entire time he was gone. Even drinking it reminded Tweek of him, the taste something he now associated with Craig. The raven haired man let his hands slide up Tweek's shirt, thumbs grazing over his pierced nipples. He chuckled softly as Tweek gasped, the blonde pulling away with an audible _smack_ of their lips to tug at Craig's shirt.

"Off," He murmured, Craig sitting back to take his shirt off. Tweek took the time to take his own shirt off, blinking once it was over his head. "Are you-what the _fuck_?!" Tweek hissed, tossing his shirt aside. Craig blinked, looking down at his body.

"Wha- _ahh_." He yelped, suddenly caught off by Tweek's cold hands reaching out and running over his abs.

"What the fuck is this?"

"They're called abs?"

"When did they get so defined?"

"Somewhere between Paris and Hong Kong." Craig chuckled, hissing as Tweek's cold fingers continued to move from muscle to muscle. Okay, so Craig got really into working out as a distraction. He didn't want to pick smoking up again, having craved cigarettes since the last one he smoked on New Year's, so he decided to work out instead. He was happy with the results and was also happy that he didn't feel the need to smoke anymore.

"You don't even look _real_!" Tweek whined, leaning forward and placing kisses against Craig's chest. The taller man shivered, humming softly as he tugged the blonde up to press their mouths together again. As they kissed, their mouths moved together, chests bumping together playfully. Somewhere along the line in the tangle of limbs, both men had managed to discard their pants, Craig's hands roaming over Tweek's body once more. He pulled away slowly, leaning his forehead against the blonde's as he made a discovery.

"Have you been going to the gym as well?" He murmured, Tweek blushing a bit.

"I took up boxing again."

"I feel some abs."

"Wait, really?"

"Why would I lie?" Craig chuckled, Tweek snorting.

"Cause you're a fucking dick."

"Mmm. You got me there." Craig teased, the blonde under him leaning up to kiss him again. Pulling his legs up, Tweek couldn't stop the grin that crossed his face and the somewhat look of horror that crossed Craig's as he hooked his big toes into the waistband of Craig's boxer briefs, tongue sticking out in concentration as he tugged down Craig's underwear. Once they were past his knees, the blonde grinned up at Craig.

"Ta da!" He laughed, Craig snorting.

"Is that your new party trick, kid? Pulling my _boxer briefs_ down with your _big toes?_ "

"What, you're not impressed?" Tweek asked, Craig snickering as he reached a hand town, tugging Tweek's underwear off in one quick tug.

"You could've just, ya know, done _that_ like a normal person."

"But where's the fun in that?" Tweek asked, fingers curling in the scruff along Craig's jaw. The notion was so relaxing, Craig humming as he nuzzled into the touch.

"You're right." He hummed, smiling a bit as he leaned forward once more to kiss Tweek. He couldn't seem to get enough of his kisses, but now that they were both _finally_ naked, they could get somewhere. Fumbling with the side table, Craig tugged it open, Tweek pulling away to watch him.

"Are you using year old condoms and lube?"

"I had Clyde drop some new ones off last week as my welcome home gift."

"You planned all of this?" Tweek asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"No, not quite. Look, there isn't a lot of privacy on the tour bus and I was intending to masturbate for a good while once in the solitude of my apartment."

"Were you gonna use the buttplug?" Tweek giggled, Craig blinking.

"You…remembered that?"

" _Of course_!" Tweek laughed, Craig letting out a soft puff of hair through his nose as he grabbed the new box of condoms and lube. "We only used a condom a handful of times when we dated." Tweek said, Craig thinking back to over a year ago. He shrugged a bit once he realized that they did, in fact, only use a condom a handful of times.

"What, do you not want to use one?"

"I mean, we don't _have_ to. Did you sleep with anyone while you were on tour?" Tweek asked, both men blushing as they realized the extent of the question. Craig swallowed hard, smiling weakly.

"There was one guy in Italy and one guy in Paris. That was it. Europe was the first leg of the tour, so it was the hardest. Paris was our second to last stop in Europe, so the night after I slept with that guy…I think his name was Francois…"

"Typical French name, I approve." Tweek murmured, Craig chuckling.

"I got the sunflowers the next night, making them a reminder of who I could see once home."

"Who? Me?"

"Yeah."

"Awfully presumptuous of you, don't you think?" Tweek chuckled, Craig smirking a bit.

"It was a risk I was willing to take." Craig said, Tweek staring up at him for a moment in silence.

"What was the Italian guy's name?"

"Marco."

"You know how to pick, 'em."

"Yeah," Craig smiled as he looked Tweek's face up and down. "I do." The blonde blushed a bit, glancing over to the box of condoms.

"Use one, just to be safe." He whispered, Craig nodding as he pushed back to tug the wrapping off the box of condoms and the bottle of lube. As he started to unwrap the box, Craig glanced at Tweek from his position on the bed, sitting on his knees as he worked on the wrappers.

"What about you? Any hook ups before Ian?"

"A few. I…couldn't do the randomness anymore."

"Why is that?"

"I missed the romance behind it…the connection." Tweek admitted, blushing a bit. Craig smirked, tossing the box back into the side table after taking one condom out and setting it aside.

"It's alright, I understand, kid," He whispered, Tweek nodding slowly. "Do you still have that lingerie?" Tweek smiled at the question.

"Yeah."

"Did you wear it for Ian?"

"Once…"

"And?" Craig asked, raising his eyebrow. Tweek swallowed hard, avoiding his gaze.

"He…didn't really care for it, I think…I felt embarrassed more than anything afterwards…" Tweek murmured, gasping as his jaw was grabbed. As his head turned, he locked eyes with Craig's mismatched ones, heat pooling low in his stomach and crawling up his neck in the form of a blush.

"He's a fucking idiot." Craig practically growled, Tweek whimpering softly as he arched his back a bit. He needed to be fucked. He really did. It had been far too long and he _really_ missed Craig.

"You're just saying that…"

"I'm not, kid, I've thought about that lingerie _a lot_." Craig said, pressing kisses to the blonde's neck as he grabbed the lube. Tweek tensed slightly as he heard the cap pop open, a small smile pulling at his lips as he knew what was coming next. As he felt the tip of Craig's lubed finger press against him, he gasped suddenly and squeezed his eyes shut.

"I missed you." He choked out, head spinning as everything suddenly became _too much_. Craig's new look, being back in this bedroom, the apartment, the easy flow of their conversations. _You could very easily get hurt. This could end very, very badly._ He didn't open his eyes when he felt Craig's forehead press against his, ignoring the way his breath ticked his face.

"I missed you, too, kid." Craig whispered to him, Tweek swallowing hard as Craig started to gently finger him.

"You're just-you're just going to leave again…h-hurt me." Tweek opened his eyes when he felt Craig's face pull away from his and his fingers stop moving, his heart twisting as he saw the sad look on Craig's face.

"You…really think I'd do that to you again?" Craig asked, Tweek suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"You did it once…you're capable of doing it again…" Tweek breathed out, Craig pursing his lips. After a moment of thinking, he nodded slowly, sighing as he started moving his finger again.

"I…yeah, I guess you're right…," Craig murmured, slowly adding a second finger. Tweek grunted softly at the addition, but quickly relaxed. "I…I'm sorry I broke that trust…" Staring up at Craig with wide eyes, Tweek bit his bottom lip, eyes closing as the movement of Craig's fingers was starting to really distract him.

"I-It's okay, Craig, I…I forgive you." _After all this time, I do. I really do. I forgive you_.

"Yeah?" Craig breathed out, a hopeful smile crossing his face. It made Tweek want to vomit it was so sickly sweet.

"Yeah." He repeated, giving him a reassuring smile. Leaning down, the raven haired man caught the blonde's lips in a gentle kiss, lips moving together as Craig worked on getting the condom on at this point. It was hard to when everything happening to him as so disorienting: the kissing, Tweek's hands running through his hair, the soft hums of approval coming from both men. It was making him see stars, and the welcoming warmth radiating from Tweek was not helping his cause. As he slowly eased himself in, Craig reached out and grabbed Tweek's hands from his hair, lips ripping away as he wanted to look at him. He laced their fingers slowly, Tweek squeezing his hands hard as he continued to slowly ease the rest of his length in.

"You're beautiful." Craig couldn't stop the words from falling out of his mouth. They were words he wished he had said more often while they were together. Tweek's eyes fluttered open, soft gasps still falling from his lips. Once Craig finally bottomed out, he sat there, Tweek letting out a breathless laugh.

"You're just saying that cause you're sleeping with me."

"Do you really believe that, kid?"

"…I…well, uh…kind of…"

"And why is that?" Craig chuckled, leaning down and bumping their noses together playfully. Tweek couldn't help but giggle, the combination of his bangs and his scruff tickling his sensitive skin.

"It…it's just going to take some time before I-I fully believe everything you say…" Tweek admitted, unlacing one of their hands so he could run his thumb over Craig's scruffy jaw. The older man hummed, leaning their foreheads together once more.

"I've got all the time in the world to make you believe me, kid. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." He murmured, the words making Tweek's throat tighten. His eyes started to tear up, his sinuses feeling like someone was pressing little needles against them. Tweek sniffled, gasping suddenly as Craig started to slowly move. It was suddenly _too_ _much_ , Tweek finally breaking down in front of Craig. He tugged him down so their chests were flush together, his face burying into Craig's tattooed shoulder as he cried. It was a cathartic cry, in a way. After crying to nothing for over a year, he was finally crying to someone, and it was the someone he was crying to nothing about. Tweek unlaced their other hand, arms sliding under Craig's and gripping at his back.

"D-Don't leave me!" He cried out, Craig closing his eyes as he heard those words. Reaching his right hand up, he cradled Tweek's face in his hand, thumb running gently over his cheek. Turning his head, he nuzzled his nose into his other cheek, placing a few kisses there.

"I got you, kid, I promise." Craig smiled sadly as he felt Tweek's fingers dig into his back more, as if he was trying to hold him in place. He wasn't sure if it was because he was still a little drunk, if he was too tired, or if he just _really_ needed to cherish this moment, but Craig kept every movement slow. Neither man cared, really, too wrapped up in trying to rememorize how the other person felt against them. Tweek slid a hand up into Craig's hair, tugging lightly on the locks.

"Your hair is _amazing_." He sobbed, Craig smiling as he felt Tweek's smile against his shoulder.

"I've missed it a lot." Craig chuckled, the blonde giggling as he spoke.

"Y-Your scruff tickles me."

"Do you not like it?"

"No, I love it," Tweek admitted, gasping as Craig's hips picked up the pace a bit. They fell quiet for a bit, soft moans escaping their lips as the pace got even faster. It never reached anything too fast, the rhythm that Craig established just right. It was pushing them closer and closer to their edge, Craig biting down gently on Tweek's shoulder as he felt that heat pool into his lower abdomen. "K-Kiss me. Please." Tweek gasped out, moaning as Craig crashed their lips together. His hands came up to hold Tweek's face in place, thumbs running over his cheeks as their mouths parted, chests sliding together as a thin layer of sweat covered their skin. It was Tweek who ripped his lips away, a shout ripped from his throat as he came between them. He knew he wouldn't last long, not with Craig taking care of him like he was the eighth wonder of the world. Craig bit down on his neck, groaning against the skin as he snapped his hips forward once more and came into the condom. The blonde gasped as he felt him cum, a lazy smile crossing his face as he realized just how much he missed that sensation. As Craig pulled out and collapsed next to Tweek on the bed, both men stared at the ceiling, images of their first time together flashing through their mind.

 _They didn't know it, but they were both now staring at the ceiling, too afraid to look at each other. What if they looked at each other and it didn't_ _feel_ _the same? What if it is just strictly sexual? What if any romantic feelings had diminished?_ _ **Just do it. Look at him**_ _. As if on a timer, both men slowly turned their heads to look at each other. As soon as eye contact was established, a grin crawled across each of their faces, breathless laughter escaping their lips._

It felt so familiar, turning his head now to look at Craig. He had that same grin on his face, that same breathless laughter as if it was their first time all over again. It made Tweek want to cry again. Instead of talking immediately after like the first time, Craig tore his gaze away, standing slowly. He tossed the condom out as he left the room, but returned with a warm wash rag, tossing it over to Tweek. The blonde let out a soft laugh, wiping himself clean as Craig laid back down on the bed on his side. As Tweek finished cleaning himself off, he rolled on his side as well, both men just taking a moment to look at each other.

"I'm proud of you." Craig said suddenly, Tweek blinking.

"Why? What did I do?"

"You proved me wrong." He murmured, Tweek blushing.

"With…with what?" Craig rolled onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.

"I was worried about you…as soon as I got that call back in December about touring…I immediately thought of you. I was worried you would…shut down. I was worried you'd give up so much to wait for me…I knew I was going to have to break things off, even though I didn't want to. I _really_ didn't want to. I, _fuck_ , I'm just…so in love with everything about you. You have so much love to offer and I feel like…I really fucked that up, ya know? But you…you went off and even had another _relationship_! And I'm just…I'm proud of you for proving me wrong…and just know, I never could get you out of my head." Craig turned his head to look Tweek, the blonde looking at his hands.

"I didn't prove you wrong…I had unhealthy coping skills…I hooked up with three random guys, the first on Valentine's Day…it just…I couldn't stop thinking about you, no matter how hard I tried. I mean, Christ, it's hard _not_ to think about you when your Instagram was so full of lively photos of you."

"You…looked at my Instagram?" Craig asked, Tweek's eyes widening as he realized he outed himself about stalking Craig's account.

"I, um, no?"

"I looked at yours, too." Craig chuckled, Tweek looking up at him.

"You…you did?"

"Of course. Like I said, kid, I couldn't get you out of my mind." Tweek smiled a bit at those words, moving over and lying his head on Craig's chest. He traced his finger gently over the two scars that lined his pecs, a soft hum coming from Tweek.

"How's your health been?"

"It's been good. I quit smoking for good, all of my tests have been coming back clear of anything to worry about, been eating better, too, which has been nice."

"That's good…I was worried about that at times. Especially this past winter since it was a year since…you know."

"Yeah…I worried too around that time." Craig chuckled, fingers dancing up and down Tweek's spine. The blonde closed his eyes, hand resting on Craig's stomach as he listened to his heart beat.

"Can I stay the night?"

"I thought that went without saying."

"Just checking." Tweek breathed out, Craig tugging the blankets up around them. This is what he missed, the domesticity of it all. Drinking in the warmth coming from the man next to him, Tweek, for the first time in over a year, finally felt at ease. Craig made sure to stay awake until he felt the blonde fall asleep, face buried in his hair as he focused on everything about the man in his arms: the way he was breathing, how he still smelt like coffee at this hour, the gentle curve of his waist, the softness of his skin, the freckles that seemed to have multiplied over the course of a year. Everything was making Craig feel like a teenager in love again, but he was a thirty one year old man, not thirteen. A thirty one year old man who was still helplessly in love with a former student. As he closed his eyes, Craig thought about how they made some progress tonight in mending their relationship, but there was still a lot to do. But that was okay.

Craig was willing to spend the rest of his life fixing this if it meant he got to be with Tweek.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Only a few more chapters left, sweet beans! I really can't begin to express the joy I have about you all taking to this story. I appreciate each and every comment and I love reading them as well! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciate!


	29. Lesson 29: Congrats, Grad!

It was safe to say that Tweek was definitely afraid for graduation. It was now officially a week away and his anxiety has been through the roof. Craig and him got back together officially about a month ago. They went out on dates to make sure the connection was still there and the alcohol wasn't just inducing their attraction. Tweek knew after the first date that it wasn't the alcohol. Craig's been incredibly supportive as well the past few weeks with Tweek's anxiety. He's even helped him with some of his final projects, letting Tweek present to him and offering him feedback. It was a nice perk, in Tweek's opinion. There were a few nights Tweek came over and ended up staying the night because his anxiety would consume him, Craig staying awake with him to talk him through everything. He knew Craig was putting forth his best effort to fix things with Tweek, and he really appreciated it, considering the fact the blonde was apprehensive at first about starting over. What if Craig got another big opportunity? What if Danny needed him to be a _permanent_ addition to the band? (Tweek has been spending time with Danny as well, and something about him makes the blonde incredibly flustered). Regardless, Tweek's walls were slowly coming down, each and every interaction with Craig becoming easier and easier for him.

He was currently pacing around Craig's apartment, that NASA sweatshirt that's been through so much hanging from his torso while he decided to be in his boxers tonight. His fingers were tangled into his hair, his other hand holding out a piece of paper that had everything Tweek needed to know for his last ever final. It was nerve wracking, honestly, because Tweek is barely holding onto a B in this class, and he _does not_ want a C on his transcript.

"You're gonna carve a hole in my floor, kid." Craig said from his place on the couch, Venus curled up on top of him. He was absentmindedly running his hands over her fur.

"Shut up! It's helping me concentrate!" Tweek spat out, eyes wide as he quickly turned his attention away from the paper to speak to Craig, but immediately turned it back once he was done talking. Craig let out a huff of air through his nose as he chuckled, closing his eyes as he thought.

"Do you want me to help you study?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks."

"Mkay." The silence was comforting to Tweek as he stopped pacing suddenly, eyes scanning over the paper some more. With a groan, he brought his hands to his face, paper and all. His head was pounding. He's been studying this material for almost an _hour_ and it felt like he was retaining _no information_!

" _Fuck_." He hissed, suddenly dropping to the floor. Craig blinked at the _thud_ , turning his head to see Tweek lying face down on the floor, arms curled around his head.

"You alright, baby?"

"'m in agony."

"Want me to hold you?"

"…yes please." The blonde breathed out, Craig chuckling as he slowly sat up. Venus hopped off his chest, Craig sliding off the couch and onto the floor next to the blonde. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around him, holding him close as he pressed a light kiss to his forehead.

"'m here, kid, it's alright. You're almost there." He whispered, Tweek turning to bury his face in his neck.

"It's too much pressure, Craig, I don't know if I can do this." The blonde murmured against his neck, Craig humming.

"Yes you can, Tweek. You can do anything you want. You're incredible."

"You're just saying that cause you're my boyfriend again."

"Danny says it, too." Craig said, the blonde slowly lifting his head up to look at Craig with wide eyes.

"He does?" He breathed out, eyes bright as a small smile tugged at his lips.

"Ya know, I'm starting to get the feeling you want to have sex with Dan."

"Why? Did he ask about it?!"

"Oh my god, Tweek, it was _a joke_!" Craig gasped, rolling onto his back. Tweek snickered, the distraction something he really needed.

"Are you upset?" Tweek asked, smiling as he rolled on top of Craig.

"Maybe."

"No you're not."

"No, not really, but damn, _Danny_?"

"He's beautiful are you kidding?"

"…hmm…I see your point." Craig laughed, hand coming up to cup Tweek's face. They fell silent again, Craig's thumb moving slowly across his cheek. The blonde felt his cheeks heat up, eyes darting over to look at a random spot on the carpet.

"Why are you staring?" He breathed out, Craig humming in thought.

"Because you're beautiful. And no, I'm not just saying that because I'm your boyfriend. You need to have more self-confidence, Tweek."

"It's hard…"

"I know, kid, but I'm here. I'm here to help you realize that." Craig said. Tweek didn't like to think he was relying on a man to help him feel happy about himself, but Craig really _did_ make him feel happy about himself. He made Tweek feel so confident when they were together a year ago, that confidence in effect even after Craig had left. It disappeared, thanks to Ian, and Craig's proving to have the same effect on Tweek's self-confidence even now. Smiling weakly, Tweek leaned down and pressed his lips gently against Craig's, a soft hum escaping the older man's lips. It was moments like this that made Tweek really appreciate Craig being back in his life. He went from having a borderline panic attack to fully relaxed in the span of five minutes. It's simple things like that that makes Tweek love the man under him. Pulling away slowly, Tweek brought his hand up to Craig's face now, thumb running over his cheek.

"Thank you." He whispered, Craig nuzzling gently into the touch.

"You're welcome." Craig whispered back, the man wrapping his arms around Tweek once more as he laid his head down on his chest.

"Can I stay here tonight?" The blonde asked, eyes already closing as he let himself fully relax against his boyfriend's chest. He's studied for an hour, whatever he knows at this point is what he's going to know.

"Of course, Tweek."

"Thanks." He breathed out, Craig laughing softly as he felt the full weight of his boyfriend spread across his body.

"Want to go to bed?"

"Mhm." Tweek hummed, slowly pushing himself off of Craig. The two made their way down the hall after Craig turned off all the lights, the gentle _clinking_ coming from the collar around Venus' neck following them. The soft comforter and sheets of Craig's bed welcomed them with open arms, both men letting out a soft sigh as their backs hit the mattress. They immediately curled up to each other, noses bumping together lightly as they looked at each other.

"I love you." Craig whispered, Tweek feeling his face heat up.

"After all this time?" They hadn't said it to each other yet, not for over a year at least.

"I never stopped loving you."

"…Why? If you don't mind me asking." The blonde whispered, Craig falling silent while he thought.

"I realized while away that you… _complete_ me. I know that sounds really, _really_ fucking cheesy, but it's true. Your quirks balance mine out, and mine seem to balance yours out. You know how logically sound I am."

"I do, yes."

"But you're more emotional than I am, and that's something I've come to realize. I've also realized that it's good for me because it reminds me that it's okay-," Craig stopped suddenly, swallowing hard as he smiled a bit. "That it's _okay_ to feel things." He whispered, Tweek slowly returning a smile to him. Leaning over, Tweek pecked Craig's lips gently a few times before settling back on his pillow, hand coming up to close his hand around the pendant that continued to sit around his neck.

"I love you, too."

* * *

The cap and gown felt weird to be wearing again, but sitting in their apartment with Kyle, Stan, and Wendy also in their own cap and gown was bittersweet to Tweek. They were soaking it all in, really, because Wendy was moving out by the end of the week to start her internship for the summer in Denver. Kyle had already gotten a job offer at an accounting firm, and Stan was going to Arizona for his own internship. Tweek, well, Tweek didn't really have any plans yet, his current plan being to work at his parent's coffee shop for now.

"I can't believe we're in a cap and gown again." Stan murmured, everyone nodding slowly.

"Shouldn't I be excited?" Tweek said slowly, everyone turning to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked, Tweek biting his bottom lip.

" _I'm terrified_." He admitted, a lump forming in his throat.

"Of what?" Wendy asked softly, reaching over and grabbing his hand. Tweek sniffled, looking down. He suddenly felt a wave of shame consume him.

"Well…you're all _doing_ something! I'm moving back home to work at my parent's fucking coffee shop for the seventeenth year in a row!" He choked out, sniffling a bit. Stan bit his lip, standing up and sitting on the other side of Tweek.

"Tweek…it's normal not to do things immediately after graduation. Hell, Kenny and Bebe are doing nothing! It's also okay to go home after college. You won't be doing _nothing_ if you're at your parent's coffee shop."

"It feels like nothing though, you know? Like, I love the shop, but I'm so desensitized to it now! I want to do something on my own for once!" The blonde said, Kyle kneeling in front of him.

"You're going to do great things, Tweek. Maybe not immediately after college, but you're going to do great things. Take this time to just _breathe_. This past year has been a roller coaster for you, so maybe taking this time for yourself will be good. Travel! Go do things you couldn't do while in college! It's okay, I promise you, that it's okay, Tweek. Everything will come to you in time." Kyle assured him, Tweek sniffling as he suddenly felt embarrassed for his outburst. Looking down at his lap, Tweek let out a shaky breath.

"T-Thanks, guys."

"Don't forget…you have someone to do things with as well." Wendy reminded him, Tweek smiling a bit.

"Yeah," He whispered, eyes closing as he thought about the mismatched eye colored wonder man that he called his boyfriend. "I do, don't I?"

* * *

The tunnels leading to the stage were cramped. Tweek hated being there, he just wanted to get to his seat and get this process started. Wendy stood next to him, reaching her hand out and giving his a squeeze.

"I'm proud of you." She whispered, the first people starting to leave the tunnel. Tweek blinked, looking at her.

"For what?"

"Getting through everything life has tossed your way," She laughed, smiling sadly. "I love you, Tweek Tweak." She whispered, Tweek smiling sadly back at her. Things were definitely changing, but it was a positive change. Wendy stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek, the blonde smiling a little wider at the notion.

"I love you too, Wendy Testaburger." He breathed out, walking out of the tunnel hand in hand with her when the time came. He started searching for his parents and grandmother, continuing his search once he got to his seat. He saw his mother first, a grin crossing his face as she blew him a kiss. His eyes then focused on his dad, who waved at him. It was his grandmother that made him let out a laugh, her arms wrapped around Craig's right bicep and her head leaning against his shoulder. He honestly wasn't expecting to see his boyfriend, unsure if they had enough tickets, so it made Tweek's heart flutter the moment he saw he was there. His eyes darted over to his boyfriend's face, a small smirk crossing Craig's features as they made eye contact. Tweek felt his cheeks heat up as he winked at him, the blonde settling into his seat with a grin on his face and his anxiety diminishing. How Craig managed to make him so calm so quickly and easily, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to complain. Not with the rest of his life ahead of him. The real world didn't seem so daunting now that Tweek realized he would have someone by his side, especially with that someone being Craig.

The ceremony was long and boring, but Tweek was eventually handed his empty diploma holder, a grin on his face as he heard his father and mother. He knew his grandmother and Craig were probably somewhere in the mix of noises, but Julie was probably preoccupied with having her arms wrapped around Craig's bicep still.

He couldn't help but turn to Craig as he turned his tassel a little later in the ceremony, mouthing a _thank you_ to him, because he really did have him to thank. He's taught him so much over the past year: economics, heart break, and, eventually, how it feels to really be loved by someone. Tweek was too preoccupied in staring at Craig to throw his cap in the air, but he didn't really care. He probably would've lost his cap in the mess and picked up the cap that belonged to someone with head lice knowing his luck. The blonde watched as Craig looked around him, Tweek letting out a laugh as his boyfriend _actually blew him a kiss_. He had to turn his attention away from Craig, face as red as the roses sitting in his mother's lap. The recession out wasn't as slow as the precession in, Tweek and Wendy meeting up with Stan and Kyle on the way out. It took a while to find their families, but they eventually did, Tweek tossing his arms around his dad first. He felt like he had to, considering his father had influenced so much of his life.

"I'm so proud of you." Richard whispered to his son, Tweek grinning into his shoulder.

"I know, dad." He whispered back, Richard chuckling as he pulled away. Tweek covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing, Julie's arms still wrapped around Craig's. Craig wore that navy blue suit he wore for his niece's baptism, a white dress shirt on this time instead of yellow. He didn't wear a tie or anything, instead opting to leave the top three buttons undone, Tweek swallowing hard at the sight of his chest.

"There's my not so baby boy!" Mary laughed, pressing a kiss to Tweek's cheek. The blonde grinned, wrapping his arms around his mom.

"How long has grandmom been attached to Craig?" He whispered to Mary, his mother snorting.

"Literally since the moment she saw him." She murmured back, Tweek grinning at Craig over his mom's shoulder. The taller man rolled his eyes with a smirk, Julie tugging them over.

"Oh, Tweek, I'm so proud of you!" Julie said, but showed no effort in letting Craig go.

"Thanks, grandmom! Can I…ya know, can I hug my boyfriend?" Tweek asked through a laugh, though he didn't know why he really had to ask. Julie let out a huff of air, looking up at Craig, who glanced down at her. She pursed her lips, staring up at Craig before letting out a sigh.

"Alright, _fine_." She grumbled, letting go of Craig's arm. Tweek lurched forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Craig's neck. He felt him laugh softly, their chests pressed together as he wrapped his arms around Tweek. He slid one hand into the blonde's hair, Tweek's cap in his hand with his diploma holder.

"I'm proud of you, baby." He murmured, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Tweek grinned at the nickname, pulling back to press a quick, light kiss to his lips.

"Thank you. Ya know, you helped me get my degree technically."

"Well, in that case, _you're welcome_." Craig said, Tweek snorting and punching his shoulder playfully. The second Tweek let Craig go, Julie rushed back over to wrap her arms around Craig's arm again, Mary letting out a laugh.

"Mom, you have to let the man go at some point."

"Not now, I'm not! It's been a while since I've last seen this tall glass of water and he's turned into a fine glass of wine with this new hair and scruff of his!" She said defensively, Tweek holding the diploma holder and cap up to cover his mouth from his grandmother.

" _I'm sorry_." He mouthed to Craig, but the man just shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips.

" _Don't be_."

* * *

They all went out to dinner afterwards, just the five of them. It was something Tweek could get used to, having Craig coming to family dinners like that. It meant a lot to Tweek, too, that Craig sat between him and his grandmother. Julie had accidentally let it slip that Craig reminded her of Oscar, Tweek's deceased grandfather, and it suddenly made sense to everyone why she was so clingy with him. They spoke about the future for Tweek, which honest to god terrified him again, but everyone reassured him that it's okay to take a breather after college. Tweek took it as a silent reminder to just _breathe_ in general, really glad Craig would continue to remind him to breathe even after tonight. After they bid their farewells, Craig offered to drive Tweek back to his apartment.

"Will you spend the night?" Tweek asked, a smile crossing Craig's face.

"I finally get to spend the night _properly_ in your apartment?"

"Are you ready for that?" Tweek teased, Craig chuckling softly.

"I've been ready since I slept uncomfortably in that bean bag of yours on your twenty first birthday." Craig responded, Tweek snorting at the memory. No one was back at the apartment when they got there, Tweek just taking Craig straight to his bedroom. He just wanted to lie down with his boyfriend, free of any responsibility and stress. Craig laid on the bed while Tweek hung up his gown, slowly changing out of the outfit he had on underneath: a pair of khakis and a light pink button up. As he shrugged out of his shirt, Craig let out a soft hum, Tweek looking at him over his shoulder.

"You just gonna watch?"

"I'm enjoying the show, Tweek." He murmured, eyes slowly moving up at down his body. Tweek blushed, continuing with undressing himself. Craig took the time to sit up, unbuttoning his own dress shirt and shrugging it off before lying back down. Tweek didn't bother with putting pants on, but he tugged on a random t-shirt before turning and walking over towards the bed. As he was about to lie down next to Craig, he held a hand out to stop Tweek from lying down.

"What are you doing?" Tweek breathed out, furrowing his brows.

"Before you lie down…reach into my suit jacket. Front left pocket." Craig instructed, the blonde's heart rate suddenly increasing. Feeling his face heat up, Tweek walked over slowly and did as told, swallowing hard as his fingers curled around a small box. It was too big for an engagement ring (thankfully it wasn't because he was _not_ ready for marriage yet) and it was smaller than the box he gave Tweek his pendant in.

"What is it?"

"Well, open it and find out," Craig laughed, Tweek smiling a bit as he sat on the edge of the bed. Carefully, he lifted the lid of the box, eyes widening slightly as he looked at the item inside: a key. A single, silver key. He stared at it for a moment before plucking it out, holding it in the palm of his hand. "Move in with me." Craig whispered, Tweek snapping his head up.

"W-What?"

"You heard me, kid."

"I-I-you want me to?"

"You practically live there anyways you're over there so often." Craig laughed, Tweek turning his attention back to the key in his hand.

"But-I-um-I'm supposed to move back home to work-work for my parents."

"I already talked to them about it," Tweek turned his attention back up at Craig. "They seemed excited when I asked them about letting you move in with me." Tweek let out a soft breath of air, swallowing hard as he fought back a smile.

"You asked my parents?"

"I know, it seems dumb, but I knew your plan was to move back home. I wanted to make sure they didn't really need you at the shop. You know they appreciate your help, but they agree with me when I say you need to just _breathe and relax_ for a while." Craig chuckled, the blonde biting his lip as he looked back down at the key in his hand.

"Are…are you sure? You…really want me there all the time?" Tweek whispered, Craig sitting up and taking Tweek's free hand in his. He ran his thumb over his knuckles, humming.

"Tweek…I want you by my side for the rest of my life. I know we haven't really talked about marriage or shit like that, but I don't expect you to with me yet. You're twenty two, for Christ's sake. But just know, even if we never get married and we stay boyfriends forever," Tweek let out a laugh at the idea, his stomach fluttering. Craig grinned at his laughter, pressing a light kiss to his nose before continuing. "I'm happy it's you I get to wake up to each and every day." He whispered, Tweek closing his eyes at those words. They honestly meant everything to the blonde, never thinking someone would be _so in love_ with him that they'd actually _want_ to wake up next to him. After Craig's declaration, Tweek knew his answer. He knew it before the little spiel, but he _definitely_ knew it now. Opening his eyes, Tweek looked at the key in the palm of his hand.

"Yeah," He looked up at Craig, grinning wide, "That sounds amazing." He breathed out, letting out a soft giggle. Craig let out a breathless laugh, leaning forward and catching Tweek's lips in his. They kissed like that for a while, Tweek eventually setting the box and key aside on the side table above his head. They had celebratory sex that night, celebrating Tweek's graduation and their moving in together. Tweek laid awake after everything, Craig's even breathing tickling his shoulder as he spooned him from behind. When he knew Craig was sound asleep, Tweek reached up slowly and grabbed the box, opening it again. With a smile, he pulled the key out, holding it in his hand once more. This was it. This was literally the key to Tweek's future. He was worried about nothing today, because Kyle was right: everything will come to him in time.

And Tweek was okay with that.

So long as he got to wake up next to Craig each and every day.

* * *

 **NOTE** : Holy SHIT! Only one more chapter of this fic! If you didn't see or haven't heard, the first chapter of my NEXT FIC is ALREADY OUT! I will be updating that again after I post the final chapter, which I'm hoping to do by the end of the weekend! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it's all over the place but mama was trying to get some things in before the final chapter haha! Hope you enjoyed, and, as always, any and all feedback is appreciated!


	30. Lesson 30: Planning for the Future

After discussing things with Craig, Tweek decided to go back to South Park for about a month so he could enjoy his life in his quiet mountain town for a little bit before moving and job hunting. He went back to South Park after Wendy moved out that weekend, bidding Stan and Kyle goodbye (for now) as well since they'll be gone upon his return to move himself out. Currently, he was sitting in his favorite booth at his parent's coffee shop, laptop open on the table as he posted some items that were in his apartment bedroom for sale. He wasn't going to need a bed since he'd share one with Craig, the thought alone making him excited to move in with his boyfriend. It was crazy to think that if Tweek hadn't taken Craig's class, he might not have ever gotten to meet the mysterious man that flirted with him the first day of classes his junior year. Letting out a sigh, Tweek shut his laptop and took a sip of his coffee, tugging his legs up to his chest as he leaned against the window besides him.

"You seem deep in thought." Tweek looked up from his coffee cup as his father slid into the seat across from him, the blonde's lips twitching upwards a bit as he smiled.

"Just…looking forward to what lies ahead, ya know? I was so scared for nothing it seems." He chuckled, looking back down at his coffee.

"You were," Richard laughed, sipping at his own coffee. There were only a few patrons in the coffee shop. Mary was back home, having left to go prepare for dinner. "You thinking about your move in?"

"Yeah…I'm just really happy, dad." Tweek breathed out, looking over at his dad as he set his coffee down. Richard smiled a bit, taking a long sip from his own drink.

"I know, as your father, that I'm supposed to hate the man that broke your heart…but I don't. I really don't."

"Need I remind you I'm currently dating said man that broke my heart." Tweek snickered, Richard chuckling.

"I know," He set his cup down, the cup clinking lightly against the serving dish. "I never hated Craig. It's hard to hate the man that makes your son so happy." Tweek blinked at his father's words, a blush crawling onto his cheeks.

"I think…never mind."

"What?"

"It's stupid, dad."

"No it isn't. Come on, tell me." Richard said, Tweek biting his lip. Richard laughed softly at how red his son's face was.

"I…I think he's my soulmate." Tweek said slowly, eyes darting across the table. Richard leaned back in the booth, humming softly.

"Why do you say that, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Out of all the bands for Kenny to choose from, he happened to choose the one Craig was drumming for. I think it was the universe's way of bringing us back together…that-that we were always meant to be together or-or to reconnect." Tweek explained, Richard nodding slowly as he listened.

"That's a nice way to think about it." He murmured, Tweek smiling a bit as he let his legs stretch out on the seat of the booth.

"And the fact we just…fell so quickly back into our old ways…it's like…the break-up never happened…" Richard smiled slowly as he listened to his son speak, the fact he has someone to feel so strongly for making his heart swell.

"I just like seeing you this happy." He admitted, Tweek letting out a breathless laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It feels good to feel this happy."

"I always worry about you, Tweek…ever since your suicide attempt…" Richard whispered, eyes resting on his coffee cup. Tweek swallowed hard, looking down at his lap. He knows his parents worry a lot. Hell, he would too if their kid tried to kill himself with a bottle of pills.

"I-I know, dad."

"But…I haven't worried since you told me you two were back together," Tweek looked up at his dad, eyes wide. "Something about Craig…I know he cares for you, and I know he'd do anything for you…if that makes sense."

"Yeah-yeah I know what you mean."

"I feel like because you helped him through his own personal health issues…he's trying to do the same for you with your anxiety." Tweek smiled at his father's words, a particular conversation he had with Craig nearly two years ago popping into his head.

 _"Because I'm your professor…I know what students are registered with the disabilities resource office. So…because I trust you…I want you to text me whenever you need to, okay? I've seen what panic attacks can do to people, and I want you to feel comfortable enough with me that you can tell me if you feel like you're going to have one, alright, Tweek?"_

"He's been doing it since he's met me, dad."

* * *

It was the night before Tweek made the drive back out to Boulder to start moving his things over to Craig's apartment, and Tweek suddenly felt very nervous as he packed up some boxes with things he wanted from home. He was moving into an apartment with _Craig_ , his ex-professor, used to be ex-boyfriend, and his _current_ boyfriend. It was hard not to feel nervous. There were a lot of questions on Tweek's mind: what if Craig decided he didn't love Tweek anymore? What if Craig has to leave suddenly? What if he gets sick again? What if something were to happen to his _parents_?!

"Oh Jesus." Tweek breathed out, tangling his fingers in his hair and tugging gently. A knock came from his door, his mother's head suddenly popping in.

"You okay, Tweek?" She asked, the blonde shaking his head.

"I-I don't know if I can move in."

"What?!"

"What-mom, there are _so many things_ that could happen!" Tweek screeched, Mary shutting the door behind her.

"Lie down on the bed, sweetheart," Mary instructed, lying next to Tweek, their legs hanging over the edge of the bed. "Now tell me everything that could go wrong, Tweek."

"W-Well…he could stop loving me."

"That's a little farfetched, sweetheart, he cares very deeply for you." Mary chuckled, Tweek swallowing hard.

"What-what if he has to leave suddenly?"

"I think he'd tell you right away this time. At least I hope he would. I think he learned from his mistake about waiting to tell you."

"What if something were to happen to you or dad?!"

"We're in good health, baby, and if something were to happen, you know we'd call you right away." Mary explained, Tweek swallowing hard.

"What if h-his cancer comes back?" Tweek whispered, looking over at his mom. Mary looked at her son, smiling sadly after a moment.

"He'd need you more than ever, just like last time," Mary whispered back, reaching out and stroking her thumb gently over Tweek's cheek. "You're stronger than you realize, Tweek."

"I-I'm not as strong as people make me out to be."

"You're so hard on yourself, sweetheart," Mary murmured, Tweek looking down. "Hey, look at me," She tilted his head back up with her hand gently, resting it under his chin. Once they made eye contact, Mary smiled. "Those are all things to be nervous about, but think of how exciting your new life with Craig is going to be! You get to wake up to your handsome boyfriend every day, you get to wake up next to someone who makes you genuinely happy, you get to wake up next to someone who _loves_ and _adores_ you with every fiber in their body. Isn't that something to be excited about?" Tweek blushed a bit at his mother's words, but nodded slowly.

"Y-Yeah…yeah I guess so." He whispered, giving his mom a weak smile. Mary pressed a kiss to her son's forehead.

"Do me a favor before you go to bed tonight, okay?"

"…alright?"

"I want you to text Craig and ask him to write a letter to you about the idea of your future together, and I want you to write him a letter about the same thing. You can give them to each other tomorrow, or you can wait to do it. But I want you to get all of your hopes for the future you want together out on paper." Mary instructed, Tweek nodding slowly.

"Okay." He whispered, the idea not half bad. Maybe it would calm his anxiety about everything if he thought about the idea of his future with Craig. Mary pressed a kiss to Tweek's cheek after she stood up, brushing the hair off his forehead.

"Don't stay up too late, Tweek. I love you."

"Love you too, mom." He said, eyes fixated on the spot she once was. After the door clicked shut, Tweek sat up, grabbing his phone. He sent Craig a text with the instructions on what to do, making sure to add a " _for me_ " at the end of the text. He'd do it no questions asked now. After the blonde finished packing up the last little bit of things he needed to pack, Tweek grabbed a pen and paper and sat down on his bed. Using a book to write on, Tweek spent a good half an hour writing this letter to Craig. Every word he meant, and he couldn't help but smile as he read the letter over after he finished. Tweek suddenly felt more excited than ever to move in with his boyfriend.

* * *

Tweek left South Park around nine the next morning, bidding farewell to his parents. The drive back to Boulder was painless, but once he got to his apartment, that was when the real fun began. Packing up his things was a pain in the ass. Sure, his dad and him had already taken his bed and the frame to the person who ended up buying them, but he still had the rest of his clothes, his decorations, and his desk to pack up. It didn't take him as long as he expected, but as Tweek took his last trip up to the apartment, he couldn't help but feel sentimental. As he stood at the doorway for the last time, he thought back to the countless nights him and his three friends stayed up eating pizza, drinking shitty beer, and watching old _Seinfeld_ episodes. It was a memory he was incredibly thankful for, and as Tweek turned the lights off, he smiled as he shut the door. His college career was officially done. That door had been shut.

Before he drove over to Craig's, he sent him a text letting him know he was on his way. The drive was quicker than usual due to the lack of traffic, but Tweek didn't mind. It just meant he got to see Craig sooner. As he turned into the parking lot, Tweek felt his stomach flip as Craig was leaning against the wall outside, sunglasses on as he waited. He saw the smirk that crossed Craig's face as he parked, Tweek rolling his eyes at him.

"About damn time." Craig said as Tweek got out of his car, the blonde flipping him off.

"Fuck you, I had to move that fucking desk downstairs by myself."

"Poor baby." Craig chuckled, Tweek blushing at the words.

"Shut up and help me." He snickered, opening up the back of his car. It wasn't long before all of Tweek's personal belongings were out of his car and up in Craig's apartment. _It's not just Craig's. It's yours now, too_. A grin crossed his face slowly as he sat on the bedroom floor in front of his end table, a blush on his face as he put some of books on the little shelf underneath it. Standing up, Tweek looked at his side of the room, biting down on his finger nail as he tried to stop himself from grinning. He turned to one of the nearby boxes, bending down and holding the letter he wrote last night in his hands. Turning it over, he contemplated on whether or not he wanted to give Craig the letter. _Wait_. He put it in his side drawer, looking up as the door opened.

"I like your decorating skills." Craig said, leaning against the door after he shut it. Tweek smirked a bit, glancing at his decorations: potted succulents lined the window sill, pictures of his friends and family were on his little dresser, and he had put little Christmas lights around the closet.

"Thanks." He chuckled, Craig walking over slowly and hugging him from behind. He hooked his chin over Tweek's shoulder, placing a few kisses to the side of his neck.

"I did what you asked me to do." He murmured, the blonde feeling his cheeks heat up.

"The letter?"

"Mhm."

"I wanna wait to give it to each other…is-is that okay?" He asked, Craig nodding slowly.

"That's fine, kid." Tweek turned suddenly in his arms, grabbing his face in his hands. He took a moment to stare at him, smiling slowly as he leaned up and pressed their lips together. Craig hummed softly at the contact, gripping at his hips a little tighter. They kissed like that for a few minutes, Tweek pulling away slowly and leaning their foreheads together.

"I love you." He whispered, Craig chuckling.

"I love you too, Tweek."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart." Tweek watched as Craig did, in fact, cross his heart, the notion so small, yet meaningful to the blonde.

"I have a few more boxes to unload, but I'll do that tomorrow. For now…I want to eat dinner…in my new apartment…with my boyfriend." Tweek said slowly, Craig's face softening at the words. The room fell silent for a minute, Craig pressing one more quick peck to Tweek's lips.

"That can definitely be arranged."

It was surreal, really, to be sitting there next to Tweek. Craig laid awake last night writing the letter Tweek had asked him to write. Why he wanted it, he wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to ask why (he did add " _for me_ " to the end of the text), and Craig was doing everything possible to make sure Tweek stayed around for good. He spent most of their dinner watching his boyfriend, not the TV, because Craig couldn't believe that he now _lived_ with this incredible human being. They made out like teenagers after dinner, both so happy and excited to just _be boyfriends_ under the same roof. As they got ready for bed, Tweek rubbed at his hickey covered neck, a smile on his face as he looked himself over in the bathroom mirror. Chuckling softly to himself, he made his way down the hall, Craig already curled up under the blankets in the dark room. He was awake, the man rolling over as Tweek crawled up next to him.

"I look like the victim of a hate crime." Tweek whispered to him, Craig snickering as he ran a thumb over Tweek's neck.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." He admitted, holding Tweek against his chest as he shifted even closer to Craig.

"I guess I can forgive you." He murmured, placing a light kiss against the side of Craig's neck. The silence that filled the room after was soothing, both men slowly sinking even further into the mattress and each other's arms. As they both started drifting off to sleep, Craig couldn't help himself.

"I love you, Tweek."

"I love you too, Craig."

His heart flipped in his chest at the simple exchange, his life finally feeling… _complete_. He hadn't told Tweek yet, but he got his job back at the university the other day. He'd tell him in the morning. Hell, he could tell him whenever.

Former student and current boyfriend, Tweek Tweak, lived with him now, after all.

And Craig wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

It had been about two months since Tweek moved in with Craig, and he had found a job working for a big coffee company in Denver. Sure, it sucked driving an hour to work every day, but Tweek genuinely loved his job. He got to taste coffee samples just about every day for new brews they were trying, he went to meetings, and he even had important, higher up people ask for _his_ opinions on things. It didn't take long before people at his company found out he was literally raised on coffee, so they valued his opinion, and Tweek valued that respect. However, the two men were currently doing something a little more important than work. It was a nice Saturday morning and Craig needed to drive to the university to do some paperwork before the school year started up in a few weeks, Tweek deciding to join him. They took a walk after Craig finished, both currently standing in the middle of a sidewalk hand in hand. They were staring at the coffee shop Tweek worked at, a big _FOR SALE_ sign in the window. Neither knew what to say, the sight upsetting to Tweek at least.

"It's closed…" He murmured, Craig giving his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah…," Craig murmured back, the taller man just as upset as Tweek. They met there. That was where he met Tweek. Was it a bad omen? He sure hoped not, but he had an idea suddenly. "Do you think the passcode for the door still works?" He asked, turning his attention away from the building to look at Tweek. The blonde looked back at him, blinking. He moved instead of responding, tugging Craig across the street to the empty building. Inputting the code he's entered so many times, Tweek hoped and prayed as he hit _enter_ , looking up at Craig with wide eyes as it unlocked. Pushing the door open slowly, Tweek's stomach dropped as that little bell that has greeted him so many times wasn't there. The air smelt dusty, the shop obviously having been closed for a while now.

"It must've closed not long after the school year ended." Tweek said, walking slowly around the shop. Craig let the door shut behind him, hands stuffed into his pockets as he looked around with a sad smile on his face.

"Do me a favor." He said, Tweek turning to look at him over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Stand behind the counter for me." He instructed, Tweek smiling fondly as he nodded. Craig turned and left the shop, standing right outside the door. He waited a moment before walking back in, a dopey grin crossing his face as he saw Tweek leaning against the counter. He suddenly couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to that day.

" _Blonde roast…with a splash of cream…large." The man clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he finished, Tweek's heart ramming against his rib cage. He scribbled the letters indicating what he wanted along the side where the little boxes sat, eyes darting up to look at him._

" _And your name?" The man hummed a bit._

" _The shop's empty and you still need my name?" Tweek froze for a moment, trying_ ** _not_** _to let his face turn beet red for the fourth time. He quickly thought of an excuse as to why he needed to know his name._

" _Shop policy, sorry." He lied, shooting him an apologetic smile. The man let out a laugh, rummaging through his messenger bag for his wallet._

" _Craig."_

As Craig approached the counter, he didn't stop his forward motion as his hips hit the edge, lips colliding with Tweek's. The blonde gasped into his mouth, but melted under his affection nonetheless. He pulled away from Tweek a few minutes later, mismatched eyes bright as he dropped his letter on the counter. Tweek blinked as he saw it, a blush crossing his face.

"I-Is this-?"

"Yeah," Craig breathed out, lips swollen slightly from the kiss. He smirked a bit, tongue darting out and licking at his lips. "Open it, kid." He whispered, Tweek blushing as he slowly took the letter off the counter and stuck his finger under the envelope. He unfolded the letter with shaky hands, Craig's messy writing meeting his eyes.

 _Hey kid,_

 _You asked me to write a letter about our future together. For what, I'm not sure, but I won't deny you this. When I think of a future with you, I think about happiness. I think back to my life before you and I don't want to go back there. I was so lonely. I hate to admit it, but I was. You bring about a brightness to my life and I'm afraid to lose that light._

 _I want to marry you, one day. When, I'm not sure, but I know you're not ready for marriage yet either, and I love you even more for that. Some people think they have to get married right away after college, but I'm proud of you for realizing that you don't have to._

 _I want to make you happy for the rest of my life. I hope you want the same for me (of course you do. This sounds so cocky, but I know it's true). I never thought my entire life would be derailed by a student, but I never thought a student of mine could make me feel so important, so incredibly loved. I'm sure you never thought about a professor of yours showing you the same kind of love in return. You're such a beautiful soul, Tweek. I want you to always be reminded of that each morning when you wake up. I'm making it my personal duty to tell you that you're beautiful each and every morning._

 _You're my best friend (don't tell Clyde) and I love you so fucking much that it scares me sometimes. I still get butterflies when I'm with you. Even though I know we've only been back together for a little over a month now, I know I'll always feel butterflies when I'm with you. That's just how it's going to be when I'm around you, kid, and I wouldn't have it any other way._

 _I know I said it already, but I love you so fucking much, Tweek Tweak, you incredible coffee maker, you. You've ruined me for other men, but that's okay, because I don't want any other men. I want you forever and always if you'll let me. Doesn't that sound nice?_

 _Forever and always?_

 _Love you always kid,_

 _Craig_

Tweek sniffled as he set the letter down, squeezing his eyes shut as his tears finally fell. Craig reached out, wiping them off his cheeks gently with his thumb. As he opened his eyes, he saw a little black box sitting on the counter by his hand, Tweek whimpering softly.

"C-Craig-"

"It's not a proposal, not yet at least," He whispered, Tweek letting out a breathless laugh. "Open it, Tweek." Tweek grabbed the box with shaky hands, letting out a huff of breath as he opened it. It was a simple silver band, but when Tweek pulled it out, he let out a soft sob as he saw that the words " _Forever and Always, kid"_ were engraved on the inside. Craig took it from his hand, sliding the ring gently onto his ring finger, Tweek holding his hand out afterwards to look at it. It was odd seeing a ring on his left hand, but something deep inside of him knew it felt right.

"Is…is the letter everything you-you promise me?" He choked out, a smile on his face as he looked up at Craig. His eyes were so bright as they met Tweek's, nodding.

"Yeah," He chuckled, hand coming up to cup Tweek's face in it. "You got it, kid."

They spent only a little longer in the shop, both overcome with emotion as Tweek came around from behind the counter with the letter and box safely in his pocket now. They held each other as they looked around once more, Tweek grabbing a cup sleeve that was on the floor as he passed it. He needed a little piece of the shop itself since he spent countless hours in this shitty coffee shop. As they headed towards the door, Tweek stopped suddenly as he remembered something.

"Wait!" He rushed behind the counter into the backroom, Craig's brows furrowed. He felt his stomach jump as he heard the gentle _clink_ of the bell emerge along with Tweek.

"Where did you find that?" He laughed, Tweek grinning at him as he walked over with the bell in his hand.

"My manager would put it in the back whenever she worked because she hated it. She must've been the last person to work." Craig smiled at the little gold bell in his hand, both listening to it _clink_ gently for a moment in the shop. Once more, they looked at their dust covered surroundings, a soft sigh escaping their lips as they opened the door. Tweek turned and input the code once more, the heavy _clunk_ of the lock making his heart sink. Craig's hand slid into his, fingers lacing together on instinct. They crossed the street, standing in the same spot they were before they entered the coffee shop. It was hard to leave, such an important part of their relationship literally coming to a close. Tweek handed Craig the bell to put in his pocket, that hand then going up to the pendant around his neck. His thumb ran over the coordinates, those coordinates leading to _this_ coffee shop. Smiling sadly, Tweek looked up at Craig. The older man turned and looked at him, a similar sad smile on his lips.

"Come on, kid." He whispered, and Tweek knew it was time to go. With a small nod, they both turned and walked back towards where they had parked. Craig looked back. He had to. He spent so many hours in that shop flirting with Tweek, trying to get this beautiful man to love him. He actually did it, and Craig Tucker has never felt happier. He's been through hell and back with the man holding his hand, but he was glad it was Tweek. He was _so glad_ it was Tweek who was with him through his cancer ordeal, he was so glad it was Tweek he got to reconnect with after he returned from tour, he was so glad it was Tweek working that day he entered that now closed coffee shop. Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to Tweek's forehead before turning his head forward. They were only moving forward from here on out, the past staying where it needed to be. Tweek looked up at Craig with a soft smile on his face, knowing that this was just as emotional for him. He leaned his head on his shoulder as they walked, thoughts of the future filling his head. It didn't seem so scary to him, not with the idea of Craig being forever his and the idea of Craig always being there for him. He still had so much to learn about being an adult in the real world, so much to experience in life, and he got to do that all with the man holding his hand.

Tweek was pretty confident Craig could teach him a thing or two about life.

It's in his job description, after all.

* * *

 **NOTE:** Welp!

There you have it!

Thank you all so much for giving this fic a chance! I had no idea when I started this fanfiction that it would become ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CREEK FICS ON THIS SIGHT! Do you know how CRAZY that is to me?!

I can't believe so many of you like my writing THAT MUCH!

Anyways, I hope to post the next chapter of "Tiny Dancer" tomorrow night or Monday at the latest (if you haven't figured it out, I'm very excited to be writing this fic) and I genuinely do hope you all enjoyed this fanfiction.

As always, any and all feedback is appreciated, and check out my social media (tumblr is crowded-skies and twitter is craigorytucker)!

Love ya'll! -Summer


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